Mass. Tops 1,000 New Coronavirus Cases for First Time Since May
Massachusetts confirmed eight new deaths and 1,128 more coronavirus cases Saturday, as the numbers from the Department of Public Health show a continued increase in the number of cases being reported in the state this fall.
The cases reported Saturday mark the first time the state has crossed the 1,000 mark since May 24, and the most in a single day in the commonwealth since May 16, when 1,152 new cases were confirmed.
There have now been 9,616 confirmed deaths and 146,023 cases, according to the Department of Public Health. The percentage of coronavirus tests coming back positive, on average, ticked up slightly to 1.5%, according to Saturday's report.
The number of patients hospitalized for COVID-19 decreased slightly to 551. Of that number, 114 were listed as being in intensive care units and 45 are intubated, health officials said.
Here in Massachusetts, Winthrop residents are being urged to get tested after the town identified two COVID-19 clusters, the health director said Saturday.
Twenty-two new cases of the virus have been tied to social events, as of Saturday, town officials confirmed. Anyone who visited either the Winthrop Elks or the Pleasant Park Yacht Club between Oct. 15-18 is asked to quarantine and get tested for COVID-19.
“It’s vital that anyone who visited either establishment during that time period to get tested as soon as possible and stay home until you receive your results,” Public Health Director Meredith Hurley said in a statement. “We take matters like this seriously, and will continue to work diligently with state public health officials to complete the contact tracing process."