State reports 12% jump in COVID cases
State health officials on Tuesday reported more than 2,600 new COVID-19 cases, as infections continue to rise in the Bay State while virus hospitalizations surpassed 500 patients for the first time in months.
The state Department of Public Health reported 2,651 COVID-19 cases, a 12% increase from 2,372 infections recorded last Tuesday. Health officials have been warning that the omicron BA.2 “stealth” variant is spreading around the region.
The Boston-area COVID wastewater data had been rising, but recently started to take a turn downward. State health officials have been encouraging people to get a booster shot to get more protection from the variants.
The state’s average percent positivity is now 5.63%, significantly up from the rate of 1.6% a few weeks ago. The positive test average for Tuesday’s count was much higher at 6.72%.
State health officials reported 12 COVID deaths, bringing the state’s total recorded death toll to 20,292. The 12 new deaths are from Saturday through Monday. The daily average of COVID deaths is now four. The death rate had been much higher after omicron hospitalizations surged.
After COVID hospitalizations increased by 75 patients, the state’s overall patient count is now 534 patients. It’s the first time that virus hospitalizations have surpassed 500 patients since Feb. 23.
There are now 44 coronavirus patients in intensive care units, and 22 patients are intubated across the state.
Of the total 534 hospitalized patients, 33% of the patients were primarily hospitalized for COVID, while 67% of the patients were considered incidental cases.
In the state’s weekly breakthrough report, the state reported 10,982 breakthrough infections last week — a 41% increase from the 7,789 fully vaccinated cases during the prior week.
There was a one-week increase of 148 fully vaxxed patients, up from the previous weekly increase of 105 fully vaxxed patients.
The state also reported a one-week increase of 13 deaths, a bit up from 10 deaths in the previous week.