Virus cases spike 2,495 in Bay State

Highest daily count since spring

Massachusetts health officials on Wednesday reported 2,495 new coronavirus cases as infections continue to spike to spring levels, while officials also reported 37 more deaths from the disease.

Wednesday’s count of 2,495 cases follows Tuesday’s report of 2,047 cases. Saturday’s report of 2,200 cases had been the highest count since the spring before Wednesday’s report. Case counts have surpassed 2,000 four days out of the past week.

The 37 new coronavirus deaths and one probable virus death bring the state’s COVID-19 death toll to 10,222, the state Department of Public Health said. The three-day average of coronavirus daily deaths has dropped from a peak of 161 in May to 20 now.

The state has logged 177,541 cases of the virus, an increase of 2,495 confirmed cases and 165 probable cases since Tuesday. Of the 177,541 total cases, at least 131,646 people have recovered.

Health officials estimate that there are 25,055 active cases across the state.

The seven-day weighted average of the state’s positive test rate, removing higher education institutions, continues to rise. That number at the start of September was between 1% and 2%, but the rate is now up to 4.79%.

Including the testing at higher education institutions, the seven-day weighted average of the state’s positive test rate jumped from 2.6% on Tuesday to 2.9% on Wednesday.

Statewide coronavirus hospitalizations on Wednesday increased by 41 patients, bringing the state’s COVID19 hospitalization total to 659.

The highest peak of Massachusetts’ coronavirus hospitalizations was 3,965 on April 21. The three-day average of coronavirus hospitalizations has jumped from 308 last month to 568 now.

The state reported 26,074 residents and health care workers at long-term care facilities have now contracted the virus.

Of the state’s 10,222 total coronavirus deaths, 6,523 are connected to long-term care facilities.

More than 240,000 Americans have died. The country’s death toll is the highest in the world.

The U.S. has recorded 10.3 million coronavirus cases — also the most in the world. More than 3.9 million people have recovered.