Virus cases jump 20% in Bay State
Coronavirus cases continue to climb as state health officials on Thursday reported 1,760 new COVID19 cases, while virus hospitalizations dropped to the state’s lowest level since the summer.
The 1,760 new virus cases in the state was a 20% jump from 1,472 reported cases last Thursday. A total of 3,766 staff and students tested positive in Bay State schools in the past week, up from the previous week’s report.
The omicron BA.2 “stealth” variant is now spreading after mask mandates were lifted. The Boston-area COVID wastewater data has been climbing in recent weeks.
The state’s daily average positive test rate had been plunging, but is now increasing. The average positive test rate is now 2.75%, up from 1.6% two weeks ago.
State health officials reported seven new COVID deaths, bringing the state’s total recorded death toll to 20,141. The daily average of deaths was much higher following the omicron hospitalization surge. The daily death rate is now four.
COVID-19 hospitalizations have fallen dramatically in the last several weeks after the omicron variant peaked.
There are now 200 COVID patients across the Bay State after hospitalizations ticked down by 19 patients. The 200 patients is the lowest count since July 29.
There are now 28 patients in intensive care units, and 19 patients are currently intubated across Massachusetts.
The Department of Public Health reported that 39% of statewide COVID patients are currently being hospitalized because of COVID, and 61% tested positive for COVID while hospitalized for other reasons.
More than 5.3 million people in the state are fully vaccinated, and more than 2.9 million people have gotten a booster dose.
In the K-12 schools report, the 3,766 staff and students testing positive is a 16% jump from 3,245 weekly positive tests in the previous report.
The report published on Thursday by the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education shows that 2,782 students and 984 staff tested positive for the coronavirus from March 31 to Wednesday.