Virus cases surge up 5,130 in one day

Massachusetts health officials reported 5,130 new coronavirus cases Thursday, as daily infection counts remain high in the wake of Thanksgiving, while officials also reported 41 new deaths from the virus.

Thursday’s count of 5,130 cases follows Wednesday’s near-record tally of 5,675 cases. Last Thursday was the highest single-day count for the state — 6,477 cases, of which 680 were backlogged.

Before last week, the oneday high for the state from the spring surge was 3,079 cases on April 23.

The state Department of Public Health on Thursday also reported 41 more virus deaths, bringing the total state COVID-19 death toll to 10,963. The seven-day average of coronavirus daily deaths has dropped from a peak of 161 in May to 42 now.

Of the state’s 264,454 total cases, at least 187,221 people have recovered. Health officials estimate there are 61,181 active cases across the state.

The Massachusetts Water Resources Authority’s wastewater COVID-19 tracker for the Boston area on Thursday showed higher levels of the virus in this second wave than during the spring wave.

The seven-day weighted average of the state’s positive test rate — removing higher education institutions — keeps rising. That number at the start of September was 1.63%, but the rate is now 7.75%; the rate was 5.55% Monday.

A total of 923 staff and students in Massachusetts schools have tested positive for the coronavirus in the past week — a 75% increase from a week ago.

Statewide coronavirus hospitalizations on Thursday jumped by 31 patients, bringing the hospitalization total to 1,607.

The 1,607 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 10,963 total coronavirus deaths, 6,965 are connected to long-term care facilities.