Bay State numbers step back from record surge

Massachusetts health officials reported 3,627 new coronavirus cases and 40 new virus deaths Tuesday, as the governor rolled back the state’s reopening plan amid a surge in post-Thanksgiving cases and hospitalizations.

Tuesday’s count of 3,627 cases follows Monday’s count of 2,463 cases — a report with significantly fewer tests. The high weekend counts of 4,747 on Sunday and 5,356 on Saturday came after the state’s recordbreaking high on Thursday with 6,477 cases, of which 680 were backlogged.

Before last week, the previous one-day high for the state was 3,079 cases on April 23.

Amid the rise in cases and hospitalizations, Gov. Charlie Baker on Tuesday announced the state will rollback the reopening of its economy. Every Massachusetts community will move back to Phase Three, Step One.

Baker said the statewide rollback means a reduction in indoor capacities to 40%, and the closure of performance venues and high-contact recreational businesses.

The state DPH on Tuesday also reported 40 more virus deaths, bringing the total state COVID-19 death toll to 11,076. The three-day average of coronavirus daily deaths has dropped from a peak of 161 in May to 36 now.

Of the state’s 263,447 total cases, at least 169,809 people have recovered. Health officials estimate there are 58,601 active cases across the state.

The seven-day weighted average of the state’s positive test rate — removing higher education institutions — has spiked in recent weeks. That number at the start of September was 1.63%, but the rate is now 7.76%; the rate was 5.55% at the start of last week.

Statewide coronavirus hospitalizations on Tuesday went up by 36 patients, bringing the hospitalization total to 1,552.

The 1,552 patients is an increase from 436 patients at the start of November. The highest peak of Massachusetts’ coronavirus hospitalizations was 3,965 on April 21.

Of the state’s 11,076 total coronavirus deaths, 6,920 are connected to long-term care facilities.

More than 285,000 Americans have died. The country’s death toll is the highest in the world.

The U.S. has recorded 15 million coronavirus cases — also the most in the world. More than 5.7 million people have recovered.