Positive test rate holds steady at record low

Massachusetts health officials on Monday reported four new coronavirus deaths and 213 new cases as the average positive test rate held steady at the state’s record low.

The four new coronavirus deaths bring the state’s COVID-19 death toll to 8,842, the state Department of Public Health announced. The three-day average of coronavirus daily deaths has dropped from 161 at the start of May to 13 now.

The state has logged 123,841 cases of the highly contagious disease, an increase of 213 confirmed cases and 35 probable cases since Sunday. Of the 123,841 total cases, at least 100,486 people have recovered.

The seven-day weighted average of the state’s positive test rate stayed at 1.4% on Monday, the lowest ever “observed value,” according to the Department of Public Health.

Coronavirus hospitalizations went down by five patients, bringing the state’s COVID-19 hospitalization total to 367. Overall, the statewide hospitalization total has declined by 3,195 patients since May 5.

There are 59 patients in the ICU, and 22 patients are currently intubated.

The highest peak of Massachusetts’ coronavirus hospitalizations was 3,965 on April 21. The three-day average of the number of coronavirus hospitalizations has gone from 3,707 on May 1 to 371 now.

An additional 14,946 tests have brought the state’s total to more than 1.9 million tests.

The state reported 24,512 residents and health care workers at long-term care facilities have now contracted the virus, with 379 facilities reporting at least one case of COVID-19.

Of the state’s 8,842 total coronavirus deaths, 5,658 are connected to long-term care facilities.

The U.S. has recorded more than 5.4 million coronavirus cases — the most cases in the world.

More than 170,000 Americans have died, and more than 1.8 million have recovered.