Massachusetts coronavirus cases increase by 177 with key trends hitting record lows

State health officials on Friday reported 177 new coronavirus cases and 10 new deaths as key metrics continue trending downward and hitting record lows.

Virus cases have been significantly lower amid the vax rollout. The state’s count of estimated active cases is now 4,735, way down from the estimated active case tally of 36,775 cases in April.

The seven-day average of 104 daily cases is the lowest case rate of the entire pandemic. The 177 new COVID-19 cases reported Friday bring the state’s total case count up to 661,812.

The seven-day average of percent positivity has dropped to 0.57%, which is also a pandemic-low record.

Friday’s 10 new virus deaths bring the state’s total confirmed death toll to 17,903. The seven-day average of confirmed deaths is down to 4.3 — also the lowest rate of the pandemic.

Statewide hospitalizations have also been plummeting amid the vaccine rollout and taking the pressure off hospital systems.

Hospitalizations on Friday declined by 10 patients, bringing the total to 193 patients. There are 68 patients in the ICU, and 38 patients are currently intubated.

About 86% of hospital beds are currently occupied and 72% of ICU beds are taken. The average age of a hospitalized COVID-19 patient is 58.

The seven-day average of coronavirus hospitalizations is 222. The lowest that rate has ever been was 155 in August.

As of Friday, more than 9.3 million vaccine doses have been shipped to the state and more than 7.9 million have been given out, according to the daily vaccine report from the state Department of Public Health.

About 52% of all Massachusetts residents are now fully vaccinated against coronavirus and 60% have received at least one dose of the Pfizer or Moderna vaccine.

As of this week, zero Massachusetts communities are now at high risk for coronavirus as cases have dropped sharply.

from Boston Herald https://ift.tt/3g7ilsc