State reports rise in virus hospitalizations

COVID-19 cases are still rising in the Bay State as health officials on Tuesday reported more than 2,300 new infections while virus hospitalizations also jumped.

The state Department of Public Health reported 2,372 COVID-19 cases, a 39% increase from 1,712 infections recorded two Tuesdays ago. Health officials have been warning that the omicron BA.2 “stealth” variant is spreading around the region.

The Boston-area COVID wastewater data had been rising, but recently started to take a turn downward. State health officials have been encouraging people to get a booster shot to get more protection from the variants.

The state’s average percent positivity is now 4.58%, nearly triple the rate of 1.60% a few weeks ago. The positive test average for Tuesday’s count was higher at 5.33%.

State health officials reported one COVID death, bringing the state’s total recorded death toll to 20,238. The daily average of COVID deaths is now three. The death rate had been much higher after omicron hospitalizations surged.

After COVID hospitalizations increased by 14 patients, the state’s overall patient count is now 412 patients. Hospitalizations had been spiking in January, but plunged as the omicron variant receded. They’re now ticking up again.

There are 29 coronavirus patients in intensive care units, and 11 patients are intubated across the state.

Of the total 412 hospitalized patients, 30% of the patients were primarily hospitalized for COVID, while 70% of the patients were considered incidental cases.

In the state’s weekly breakthrough report, the state reported 7,789 breakthrough infections last week — a 27% drop from the 10,624 fully vaccinated cases during the prior week.

There was a one-week increase of 105 fully vaxxed patients, down from the previous weekly increase of 133 fully vaxxed patients. The state also reported a oneweek increase of 10 deaths, a tick up from nine deaths in the previous week.