30 new deaths as cases rise 2,263
State health officials on Saturday reported 2,263 new coronavirus cases and 30 new deaths as test positivity and case counts have risen in recent weeks.
The 2,263 new coronavirus cases on Saturday follows Friday’s tally of 2,160 in a continued trend of case counts over 2,000.
The new cases bring the state’s total to 605,055, and the 30 new deaths bring the death toll to 16,938. The seven-day average of confirmed coronavirus cases is now 1,573, a jump from 1,322 cases a few weeks ago.
The number of estimated active cases is now 38,177, up 4,753 from Friday and up from 25,397 about two weeks ago.
The state’s seven-day average weighted test positivity rate is 2.44%. That rate has increase from around 2% last week.
Statewide hospitalizations had been dropping amid the state’s vaccine rollout, but have ticked up in the past week. Hospitalizations on Saturday increased by two patients, bringing the total to 707 patients.
The seven-day average of the number of people hospitalized for COVID-19 has declined from 2,347 patients at the start of January to an average of 687 patients now.
The seven-day average of daily deaths is now 25, down from 77 daily deaths in late January.
Of the state’s total deaths from the virus, 8,993 deaths have been in longterm care facilities, where the majority of staff and residents are now fully vaccinated. They were among the first groups on the priority list.
On Monday, vaccine eligibility in the state will open up more, with people age 55 and over and anyone with one qualifying medical condition becoming eligible for vaccination.
So far, 4.5 million vaccine doses have been delivered to Massachusetts and 3.8 million have been administered. Supply is expected to increase with help from federal programs and an expected 100,000 Johnson & Johnson doses making their way to the state.