New COVID cases top 2,000 in state
Massachusetts health officials on Friday reported 2,024 new coronavirus cases and 16 new deaths as some key trends are declining.
Infections have been higher amid the more highly contagious delta variant. The 2,024 new virus cases now bring the daily average of infections to 1,311. The daily average was 223 two months ago but the figure is still down slightly from 1,800 earlier this month.
The daily average percent positivity has been receding in recent weeks. The percent positivity is now 2.26%, compared to 2.98% a few weeks ago.
State health officials also reported 16 new COVID deaths, bringing the state’s total recorded death toll to 18,440.
The daily average of deaths is now 10.3, up from the record-low death count of 1.3 in mid-July. The rate hasn’t been that high since April.
COVID hospitalizations increased by 29 patients, bringing the total to 704 patients.
There are now 176 patients in intensive care units, and 98 patients are currently intubated.
Of the 704 total patients, 217 patients are fully vaccinated — or about 30%. Those who are unvaccinated are at a much higher risk for a severe case.
About 92% of hospital beds across the state are taken, and 80% of ICU beds are occupied.
On Wednesday, the state hit the highest single-day case count since February, which was a tally of 2,716 cases.
However, the state Department of Public Health later clarified the higher total, saying the numbers “include a backlog of testing results from September 10-September 13 not previously reported to DPH.”
As of Friday, more than 4.57 million people are fully vaccinated, which is 65% of the total population.
More than 4.7 million people have gotten at least one shot, which is 67% of the population.
About 10.6 million coronavirus vaccine doses have been shipped to Massachusetts since the vax rollout began in December.