Coronavirus cases in Massachusetts increase by 253 as state prepares for full reopening

State health officials on Friday reported 253 new coronavirus cases and four new deaths as Massachusetts prepares to fully reopen and drop public health measures that have been in place for more than a year.

Virus cases have been significantly lower in the past month amid the vaccine rollout. The state’s count of estimated active cases is now 7,314, a plummet from the estimated active case tally of 36,775 cases a few weeks ago.

The 7,314 cases is the lowest the estimated active case count has been since the state began reporting it on Nov. 2.

The 253 new COVID-19 cases reported Friday bring the state’s total case count up to 660,766.

Gov. Charlie Baker said in a press conference Friday that new cases in the state have dropped by 95% since January and coronavirus hospitalizations are down 98% from its peak.

On Saturday, Massachusetts will drop its mask mandate, capacity limits and several other coronavirus restrictions.

The seven-day weighted average positive test rate in Massachusetts is .74%, down from 1.05% one week ago. It is the lowest it has ever been since the start of the pandemic.

Friday’s four new virus deaths bring the state’s total confirmed death toll to 17,495. The seven-day average of confirmed deaths is down to 5.4, the lowest it has been.

Statewide hospitalizations have also been dropping. Hospitalizations on Friday declined by 12 patients, bringing the total to 241 patients.

There are 74 patients in the intensive care unit and 40 are intubated.

As of Friday, more than 9.1 million vaccine doses have been shipped to the state, and more than 7.7 million have been given out, according to the daily vaccine report from the state Department of Public Health.

About half of all Massachusetts residents are now fully vaccinated against coronavirus and 58% have received at least one dose of the Pfizer or Moderna vaccine.

from Boston Herald https://ift.tt/3p1EwUL