Massachusetts coronavirus cases increase by 216 as hospitalizations stay below 200

State health officials on Saturday reported 216 new coronavirus cases and four new deaths as hospitalizations stayed below 200, taking pressure off of the once-overwhelmed health care system.

Statewide hospitalizations have been plummeting amid the vaccine rollout. Hospitalizations on Saturday declined by 12 patients, bringing the total to 181 patients. There are 65 patients in the intensive care unit, and 32 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 215. The lowest that rate has been was 155 in August.

Virus cases have been significantly lower amid the vaccine rollout. The state’s count of estimated active cases is now 4,486, way down from the estimated active case tally of 36,775 cases in April.

The seven-day average of 108 daily cases is the lowest case rate of the entire pandemic. The 216 new COVID-19 cases reported Saturday bring the state’s total cumulative case count up to 662,028.

The seven-day average of percent positivity has dropped to 0.56%, which is also a pandemic-low record.

Saturday’s four new virus deaths bring the state’s total confirmed death toll to 17,907. The seven-day average of confirmed deaths is down to four — also the lowest rate of the pandemic.

As of Saturday, more than 9.3 million vaccine doses have been shipped to the state and more than 8 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, no Massachusetts communities are now at high risk for coronavirus as cases have dropped sharply.

from Boston Herald https://ift.tt/2SgmQsh