Massachusetts reports 22,184 new coronavirus cases, COVID hospitalizations top 3,000 patients

State health officials on Wednesday reported more than 22,000 new coronavirus cases, as the omicron variant continues to spike infection counts to extremely high levels.

Meanwhile, COVID-19 hospitalizations on Wednesday surpassed 3,000 patients for the first time since the start of the pandemic as local hospitals get packed to the brim.

The state Department of Public Health on Wednesday reported 22,184 daily coronavirus cases, which was down from last Wednesday’s record high count of 27,612 cases. There were significantly fewer tests reported in this Wednesday’s report.

The state’s average percent positivity has now spiked to 21.61%. The positive test average for Wednesday’s count was 18.39%.

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State health officials reported 75 new COVID deaths, bringing the state’s total recorded death toll to 20,835. The daily average of COVID deaths is now 43. The peak daily death average during last winter’s surge was 77 deaths.

After COVID hospitalizations increased by 117 patients, the state’s overall patient count is now 3,087 patients. Hospitalizations have been spiking at a rapid pace. The last time the state’s hospitalization total was higher than 3,000 patients was in the spring of 2020 — on May 12, 2020.

Across the state, there are now 473 patients in intensive care units, and 271 patients are intubated.

One major difference from the spring of 2020 is significantly fewer patients are now in the ICU and intubated, thanks to the vaccine and better treatments. On May 12, 2020, the ICU count was 794 patients and 623 patients were intubated.

Of the total 3,087 hospitalizations, 1,452 patients are fully vaccinated — or about 47%. Those who are unvaccinated are at a much higher risk for a severe case and ending up in the hospital.

More than 5.1 million people in Massachusetts are now fully vaccinated, and more than 5.9 million people have gotten at least one shot. The state reported that more than 2.3 million people have gotten a booster dose.

from Boston Herald https://ift.tt/3rbXF7F