Virus cases rise 2,107, deaths up by 3
State health officials on Saturday reported 2,107 new coronavirus cases and three new deaths as case counts continue to hover above 2,000.
The number of estimated active cases across the state is now 35,847, which is up significantly from 25,397 two weeks ago. Cases have been spiking in recent weeks, but deaths in recent days have been in the single digits.
A total of 618,054 Massachusetts residents have now been infected with COVID19. The seven-day average of confirmed coronavirus cases is now 1,444, a decrease from 1,555 one week ago.
Saturday’s three new virus deaths brings the state’s total confirmed death toll to 17,034. The seven-day average daily death rate is 7.6. The lowest that rate has been was 3.7 in September.
The state’s seven-day average weighted test positivity rate is 2.3%, down from 2.55% a week ago and still well below the World Heath Organization threshold of 5% for safe reopening.
Statewide hospitalizations have been dropping amid the state’s vaccine rollout but have ticked up recently. However, hospitalizations on Saturday did drop by 26 patients, bringing the total to 685 patients. There are 178 patients in the ICU and 98 are intubated.
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 717 patients now. The lowest rate was 155 in late August.
Across the state, about 87% of hospital beds are occupied and 76% of ICU beds are taken.
Of the state’s total deaths from the virus, 9,014 deaths have been in long-term care facilities, where the majority of staff and residents are now fully vaccinated as they were among the first groups on the priority list.
Vaccine rollout in Massachusetts hit record levels in the past week, and so far about 1.5 million Bay State residents have been fully vaccinated against the virus that shut down the world this time last year.