Massachusetts coronavirus cases spike 1,793 — the highest daily count in more than 4 months

Massachusetts health officials on Thursday reported the highest daily count of coronavirus cases in more than four months, as infections surge amid the delta variant.

Cases have been spiking amid the more highly contagious variant, and COVID hospitalizations and deaths have also been higher.

The daily jump of 1,793 cases was the first time the state reported more than 1,750 single-day cases since April 16 when 1,962 infections were recorded. The seven-day average of cases is now 991.

The daily average of percent positivity has been ticking down in recent weeks, as officials note this could be a sign that cases are beginning to stabilize. The percent positivity is now 2.68%, which has dropped from 2.98% a couple of weeks ago.

State health officials also reported 13 new COVID deaths, which is one of the higher counts in the last several weeks. The state’s total recorded death toll is now 18,212. The daily average of deaths is now 4.3.

COVID hospitalizations did decline for the second straight day after 12 consecutive days of rising patient counts. The decrease of four patients brings the hospitalization total to 565 patients.

There are now 143 patients in intensive care units, and 70 patients are intubated.

Of the total count of 565 patients, 158 of the patients are fully vaccinated — or 28%. Those who are unvaccinated are at a much higher risk for a severe case.

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The weekly county-by-county report from the state Department of Public Health shows higher case counts in every Bay State county. Dukes and Nantucket counties have the highest average daily incidence rate per 100,000 of 67.4 during the last two weeks, followed by Hampden County at 29.6.

However, a new trend in the report is that more counties are reporting lower percent positivity, including in Suffolk, Middlesex, Bristol and Plymouth counties.

More than 4.47 million people in Massachusetts have been fully vaccinated.

from Boston Herald https://ift.tt/3kqsl1D