Virus cases up 2,225; 20 deaths
6 die at nursing home
Massachusetts health officials reported 2,225 new coronavirus cases Tuesday and 20 new deaths, as yet another outbreak ravaged an Andover nursing home, claiming six lives.
Tuesday’s count of 2,225 comes after Monday’s count of 1,785 and Sunday’s tally of 2,721 cases as the state braces for potential travel and mass gatherings for Thanksgiving.
The highest daily case count was 3,079 cases on April 23, in the height of the spring surge.
The 20 more virus deaths bring the total state COVID-19 death toll to 10,550, the state Department of Public Health said. The seven-day average of coronavirus daily deaths has dropped from a peak of 161 in May to 22 now.
Of the state’s total coronavirus deaths, 6,697 are connected to long-term care facilities, an increase of 12 from Monday.
A coronavirus outbreak at Atria Marland Place, an assisted living facility in Andover, has led to six deaths and at least 70 cases, according to officials.
Last week’s public health report from DPH showed that Atria Marland Place had more than COVID 30 cases and a capacity of 136 residents. An update of the report is due out Wednesday.
Atria Marland Place is one of many nursing homes that have experienced outbreaks as the pandemic continues to take its toll on the elderly.
The state has logged 204,060 confirmed cases of the virus and health officials estimate there are 40,449 active cases across the state.
The seven-day weighted average of the state’s positive test rate, removing higher education institutions, remains at an elevated level. That number at the start of September was between 1% and 2%, but the rate is now at 4.63%.
Including the testing at higher education institutions, the sevenday weighted average of the state’s positive test rate was 3% on Tuesday.
Statewide coronavirus hospitalizations on Tuesday increased by 32 patients, bringing the COVID19 hospitalization total to 954.
There are 204 patients in the ICU and 99 are intubated.