COVID data keeps falling

Boston’s COVID data keeps falling week after week, as state health officials on Thursday also reported a continuing drop in virus cases and hospitalizations.

Data from the Boston Public Health Commission’s wastewater surveillance program shows that the number of COVID particles in the city’s wastewater plunged by 33% over the past two weeks. The wastewater data is the first sign of virus cases at the community level, and wastewater spikes have helped predict COVID waves.

The citywide wastewater average is now 1,378 viral RNA copies per milliliter, and the neighborhoods below that average are Charlestown, East Boston, Back Bay, South Boston, Jamaica Plain, and Roslindale/West Roxbury. The neighborhoods above that average are Allston/Brighton, Dorchester, Mattapan, Hyde Park, and Roxbury.

On Thursday, the state Department of Public Health reported 5,160 virus cases over the last week. The daily average of 737 COVID cases from the last week was down 11% from the daily rate of 828 virus infections during the previous week.

The Bay State’s positive test average decreased last week. The seven-day positive test rate is now 8.31%, down from 9.35% last week.

The state Department of Public Health on Thursday also reported that 744 total patients are hospitalized with COVID, which is a drop of 119 patients from this time last week.

The state reported 112 new COVID deaths over the past week, bringing the state’s total to 23,771 recorded deaths since the start of the pandemic. The daily average of deaths is now 12, which has been up in recent weeks.

More than 5.6 million people in the state have been fully vaccinated, and more than 3.4 million people have received at least one booster dose. Also, the state reported that more than 1.6 million additional booster doses have been administered.