COVID cases climbing higher in Bay State

Drop in deaths continues at record low

Massachusetts health officials on Wednesday reported one new coronavirus death and 208 new COVID cases, as daily deaths are now at a record low but virus cases are rising again.

Hospitalizations for COVID also increased on Wednesday, and the average percent positivity is climbing.

The one new COVID death brings the Bay State’s total recorded death toll to 18,013. The daily average of 0.9 deaths is a record low for the pandemic.

Virus cases, however, are increasing after hitting a record low last month. The more contagious delta variant is now spreading across the region. The daily average of cases is now 122 infections, nearly double the pandemic low of 64 daily cases last month.

The average percent positivity has jumped as well, from the record low of 0.31% last month to the current average of 0.72%.

Hospitalizations rose by six patients on Wednesday, bringing the total to 102 COVID patients. The record low was 80 patients in the hospital on July 4. There are now 37 patients in intensive care units, and 17 patients are intubated.

The daily average of 92 patients is a bit up from the pandemic low of 85 patients last week.

Meanwhile, more than 8.7 million total vaccine doses have been administered in the state, and nearly 4.3 million people are fully vaccinated, according to Wednesday’s vaccine report. Last month, the state hit its goal of 4.1 million fully vaccinated people.

Overall, the doses administered break down to more than 4.4 million people who have received one dose of either the Pfizer or Moderna vaccine; more than 4 million people who have received both doses of Pfizer or Moderna; and 281,828 people who have received the single-dose Johnson & Johnson vaccine.