Cases up, positivity rate down statewide

State reports 1,593 new cases, hospitalizations and positivity rate lower

Massachusetts health officials on Thursday reported 1,593 new coronavirus cases as the positive test average trended lower and COVID19 hospitalizations ticked down.

The 1,593 new virus cases now brings the daily average of infections to 1,099. That is up from the daily average of 745 cases at the start of August one month ago.

Infections have been rising amid the delta variant surge.

The daily average percent positivity has been ticking down, however. The percent positivity is now 2.45%, compared to 2.98% a few weeks ago.

The positive test average was 1.89% for Thursday’s report.

State health officials also reported 14 new COVID deaths, bringing the state’s total recorded death toll to 18,272.

The daily average of deaths is now 7.4, up from the record-low death count of 1.1 in mid July.

COVID hospitalizations decreased on Thursday. The decline of 25 patients now brings the hospitalization total to 595 patients.

There are now 158 patients in intensive care units, and 99 patients are currently intubated.

Of the 595 total patients, 150 patients are fully vaccinated — or about 25%. Those who are unvaccinated are at a much higher risk for a severe case.

The state Department of Public Health released its county level data, showing the counts and rates of COVID infections over the past 14 days. Every county has had increased case counts in the last two weeks except for Bristol County and Dukes and Nantucket counties.

Dukes and Nantucket counties are trending lower, but their average daily incidence rate per 100,000 remains the top in the state. The rate is 56.5, compared to the state average of 19.5. After Dukes and Nantucket counties, the next highest county is Hampden County with a rate of 33.9.

More than 4.5 million people in Massachusetts are fully vaccinated, and more than 5 million people have gotten at least one shot.