Mass. reports over 11,000 weekend cases

Hospitalizations spiking

State health officials reported more than 11,000 new coronavirus cases over the weekend as infection counts surge and the state’s COVID-19 hospitalization level continues to spike.

The 11,199 infection tally was more than double last weekend’s count of 5,497 cases.

Virus cases are climbing at a rapid rate amid the more highly contagious delta variant as more people gather indoors in the cold weather, and while many people are still not fully vaccinated in the Bay State. Also, the vaccine’s effectiveness starts to wane after six months, and many people have not gotten the booster yet.

After the 11,199 new virus cases, the seven-day daily average of cases is now 3,615. That’s more than triple the daily average of 1,129 infections about a month ago.

The positive test average is now 4.53% — way up from 1.67% in late October. The daily positive test rate for Monday’s report was 4.83%.

The state reported 26 new COVID deaths, bringing the total recorded death toll to 19,516. The seven-day average of deaths is now 12.3. The record-low daily death average was 1.3 in mid-July.

There are now 1,118 COVID patients hospitalized in the state, up 115 patients from 1,003 total patients on Friday. The 1,118 total patients is a 123% spike from 502 total patients a few weeks ago. The last time the state’s hospitalization total was this high was in midFebruary.

The state reported that 223 patients are in intensive care units, and 130 patients are currently intubated.

Of the 1,118 total hospitalizations, 385 patients are fully vaccinated — or about 34%. Those who are unvaccinated are at a much higher risk for a severe case.

More than 4.9 million people in Massachusetts are fully vaccinated, and more than 5.7 million people have gotten at least one shot. The state reported that nearly 1.3 million people (1,284,915) have gotten a booster dose.