Bay State’s COVID spike continues
State health officials on Thursday reported a continuing spike in new COVID-19 cases, while virus hospitalizations again increased.
The 2,962 daily virus cases in the state was a 68% jump from 1,760 reported cases last Thursday. Also, a total of 5,363 staff and students tested positive in Bay State schools in the past week, significantly up from the previous week’s report.
The omicron BA.2 variant is spreading across the region. 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 3.66%, up from 1.6% a few weeks ago.
State health officials reported two new COVID deaths, bringing the state’s total recorded death toll to 20,169. The daily average of deaths was much higher following the omicron hospitalization surge. The daily death rate is now four.
COVID-19 hospitalizations had fallen dramatically in the last several weeks after the omicron variant peaked. Now hospitalizations appear to be rising again.
There are now 307 COVID patients across the Bay State after hospitalizations rose by 21 patients.
There are now 30 patients in intensive care units, and 15 patients are currently intubated across Massachusetts.
The Department of Public Health reported that 33% of statewide COVID patients are currently being hospitalized because of COVID, and 67% 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 5,363 staff and students testing positive is a 42% jump from 3,766 weekly positive tests in the previous report.
The report published on Thursday by the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education shows that 4,000 students and 1,363 staff tested positive for the coronavirus from April 7 to Wednesday.