Massachusetts - Coronavirus COVID-19

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Massachusetts reports 1,400 new COVID cases, 3 deaths on Wednesday


Massachusetts public health officials on Wednesday reported 1,400 new COVID-19 cases and three new deaths

Since the pandemic hit the U.S. last year, the state Department of Public Health has confirmed at least 700,577 positive cases and 17,828 deaths in Massachusetts.

Tuesday’s 16 reported deaths marked the highest amount since May 17. Deaths have generally been in single digits over the last few months, with the state’s success in its vaccination effort keeping many residents from severe illness or death.

The number of hospitalizations rose by 45 on Tuesday and fell by six on Wednesday, bringing the current total to 569, including 145 patients in intensive care and 72 people who are intubated. The number had dropped to a pandemic low of 80 in June. The majority of those in treatment are unvaccinated.

The seven-day average rate of positive tests now stands at 2.69%, down slightly from Tuesday’s 2.72%.

After about 8,000 vaccinations reported Tuesday, at least 12,205 more doses were administered, according to Wednesday’s vaccine report from DPH.

The state reported another 3,098 breakthrough cases of vaccinated residents in the past week. About two-thirds of new cases continue to be among unvaccinated individuals, state data shows.

 

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COVID mini-surge in Massachusetts continues, but data shows growth of new cases is slowing

New COVID-19 cases in Massachusetts grew by about 10% last week over the previous week. But data from the state shows the week-over-week increases are slowing.

Massachusetts reported 1,793 new COVID cases Thursday and 13 deaths. Hospitalizations, which began growing at a much faster rate this week, declined today for the second day in a row to 565. Of those, 158 (or 28%) are people who are fully vaccinated. The percentage of hospitalizations that are among fully vaccinated individuals has dropped slightly from about 30% earlier in the week.

The seven-day average percent positivity on new tests ticked downward again Thursday to 2.68%.

Despite the state continuing to report elevated COVID numbers, the rate of growth of new cases is slowing, data from the Department of Public Health of positive tests by test date shows.

COVID hit a pandemic low in Massachusetts on the week of June 20 with about 460 new cases that week, based on test date data.

• Week of June 20: 460 cases (Pandemic low)
• Week of June 27: 549 cases (18% increase)
• Week of July 4: 810 cases (38% increase)
• Week of July 11: 1,844 cases (73% increase)
• Week of July 18: 3,343 cases (58% increase)
• Week of July 25: 5,017 (40% increase)
• Week of Aug. 1: 6,951 (32% increase)
• Week of Aug. 8: 8,064 cases (15% increase)
• Week of Aug. 15: 8,943 (10% increase)

If the trend continues uninterrupted, cases could plateau and even start declining again within a couple of weeks.

The state on Thursday reported 11,417 new vaccine doses administered. There were 12,205 more reported the day prior. The new doses push the percentage of the state’s 2021 population that is fully vaccinated to 64%. A total of 66% have had at least one dose.

A Bloomberg report shows vaccinated people are much less likely to require hospital treatment for COVID-19 and are much less likely to need to be put on ventilators. And those who have had the COVID-19 vaccine are much less likely to die.le

 

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Massachusetts reports 1,591 new COVID cases as unvaccinated individuals continue to dominate hospital numbers

Massachusetts reported 1,591 new COVID-19 cases on Friday along with six more deaths.

Hospitalizations, which shot up earlier this week and then ratcheted back down slightly, grew by seven to 572.

Of those, 160 — or 28% — are among vaccinated individuals. The other 74% are unvaccinated individuals who now account for the minority of the state’s population.

Of hospitalizations, 149 people are in intensive care and 78 are intubated.

The 7-day average percent positivity of new tests went up slightly to 2.75%.

The state reported 11,953 more COVID vaccine doses administered. It’s the third day in a row reports of new doses topped 10,000.

Despite the state continuing to report elevated COVID numbers, the rate of growth of new cases is slowing, data from the Department of Public Health of positive tests by test date shows.

New cases last week increased 10% over the previous week.

The 20 to 29 age group continues to be the age demographic testing positive at the highest numbers, followed by those 30 to 39.

 

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Massachusetts averaged 1,360 new COVID cases a day over the weekend as hospitalizations top 600

Massachusetts averaged 1,360 new COVID cases a day since Friday.

In all, the Massachusetts Department of Public Health reported 4,081 new cases Monday for a period that included Saturday, Sunday and Monday. It’s a large number even for a weekend report, which last Monday was 3,335 and was 2,996 the Monday before.

Hospitalizations continued to climb over the weekend and are now at 603 COVID patients — 31 more than Friday. Of those, 26% were individuals who said they were fully vaccinated. That percentage has been dropping from 30% last week. The remaining 74% of hospitalizations are those of unvaccinated people.

Of the hospitalizations, 156 patients are in intensive care and 96 are intubated.

One metric that moved in a good direction was the seven-day average percent positivity of tests, which dropped from 2.75% Friday to 2.51% Monday.

Ten more COVID deaths were reported Monday. Deaths have remained low since the spiking after the big surge in January as vaccinations have increased.

A total of 4.5 million Massachusetts residents are now fully vaccinated against the virus. That’s about 64% of the state’s full 2021 population. About 67% have at least once vaccine dose.

 

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Massachusetts reports 3,704 new breakthrough COVID cases since last week

Massachusetts public health officials on Tuesday reported 1,557 new COVID-19 cases and 17 new deaths, while also logging 3,704 new breakthrough cases of vaccinated individuals since last week.

As of Aug. 28, there have been 19,443 vaccinated people who’ve contracted COVID-19; still, that figure represents just .43% of residents who’ve rolled up their sleeves for a shot.

There are currently 591 patients in the hospital for COVID-19 treatment, down slightly from Monday’s 603, including 163 people in intensive care and 100 who are intubated. The number had dropped to a pandemic low of 80 in June. The majority of those in treatment remain unvaccinated.

Tuesday’s update follows 63,162 new molecular tests; 26.1 million tests have been administered over the last year in Massachusetts. The seven-day average rate of positive tests now stands at 2.61%, up from Monday’s 2.51%.

The state logged at least 10,236 new vaccination doses, according to Tuesday’s vaccine report from DPH. More than 4.5 million Massachusetts residents are now fully vaccinated.

Over the last week, 80 more vaccinated people were hospitalized, bringing the total number of hospitalized breakthrough cases to 651. Thirteen more vaccinated people died since last week; so far 144 breakthrough cases resulted in death, representing just .003% of fully vaccinated Massachusetts residents.

 

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New COVID cases in Mass. slowed to just a 7% increase last week


Massachusetts reported 1,796 new COVID-19 cases on Wednesday along with 11 more deaths.

Hospitalizations continue to climb across the state, rising to 620 — 29 more than reported Tuesday. Of those, 169 patients are in intensive care and 104 are intubated.

The percentage of vaccinated individuals among hospitalizations has dropped slightly in the last week. Of the 620 hospitalizations, 159 reported being fully vaccinated. That accounts for 26% of hospitalizations. A week ago, the percentage of vaccinated patients was 30%.

The seven-day average percent positivity of new tests dropped again today to 2.57%, down from the 2.61% reported Tuesday.

Despite elevated COVID numbers, the rise in the spread of the delta variant has slowed. Test date data shows new cases last week climbed to 9,860 — a 7% increase over the previous week. Although the number of cases went up, it was the smallest amount new cases had risen since early July when the current mini-surge started.

It’s a trend being observed elsewhere as well.

The New York Times reported Wednesday that new cases across the U.S. had risen less over the past week than at any point since June.

COVID has followed a regular cycle of new cases surging for roughly two months before starting to fall, the Times reported. The delta variant appears to be following the same pattern.

The 20 to 29 age group continues to be the age demographic testing positive at the highest rate, followed by those 30 to 39.

 

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COVID hospitalizations in Massachusetts drop to 595 while state reports 1,593 new cases Thursday


Massachusetts reported 1,593 new COVID-19 cases Thursday along with 14 more deaths.

At the same time, hospitalizations, which have been rising since early July, dropped by 25, going down to 595 patients. Of those, 158 people are in intensive care and 99 are intubated.

Of hospitalizations, 150 patients were identified as having been fully vaccinated. That’s 25% of hospitalizations, a drop from around 30% last week. The remaining 75% of COVID hospitalizations are unvaccinated individuals despite the fact that they now represent a minority of the population.

Hospitalizations remain high, however, and not every hospital is seeing a downward trend yet. Statewide, hospitalizations remain at levels close to the April surge.

Baystate Health today reported more than 90 COVID patients in its hospital beds and sometimes dozens of people waiting for admission.

The seven-day average percent positivity dropped Thursday and is down to 2.45%. The rate has been slowly decreasing for the past week, one of a few signs the mini-surge that began around the Fourth of July is slowing and could subside.

Data from the state shows the rise in COVID has slowed. Test date data shows new cases last week climbed to 9,860 — a 7% increase over the previous week. Although the number of cases went up, it was the smallest amount new cases had risen since early July when the current mini-surge started.

The state also continues to see a steady flow of new vaccinations. Massachusetts reported 12,201 more vaccine doses administered — the third day in a row new vaccine doses were more than 10,000. About 64% of the state is now fully vaccinated with 67% having received at least one dose.

 

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Massachusetts reports 1,703 COVID cases as percentage of breakthrough hospitalizations continues to drop

Massachusetts reported 1,703 new COVID-19 cases on Friday and 10 more deaths.

Hospitalizations also inched back upward after dropping Thursday. COVID hospitalizations have been on the rise for the past two months and are at 609 patients now — still fewer than the 620 reported earlier this week.

Of those, 162 are in intensive care and 100 are intubated.

The percentage of fully vaccinated individuals among hospitalizations continues to drop after hovering around 30% last week. Of the hospitalizations reported Friday, 149 were people who said they were fully vaccinated, or 24% of hospitalizations. The other 76% are unvaccinated individuals.

Vaccinated people continue to represent a minority of hospitalizations despite being the majority of the population. About 64% of the state’s 2021 population is now fully vaccinated. About 67% have at least one dose.

The seven-day average percent positivity of COVID tests is continuing to go down and is at 2.43% Friday. A total of 82,838 new COVID tests were reported.

Reports of new vaccinations slowed Friday after several days of robust numbers. The state reported 4,890 new COVID vaccine doses administered Friday, the smallest amount since July 6. At least 15 communities remain short of 50% of their residents fully vaccinated.

Despite elevated COVID numbers, the rise in the spread of the delta variant has slowed. Test date data shows new cases last week climbed to about 9,860 — a 7% increase over the previous week. Although the number of cases went up, it was the smallest amount new cases had risen since early July when the current mini-surge started.

 

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Breakthrough COVID cases in Mass. at about 40% of infections while unvaccinated people dominate hospitalizations

Massachusetts averaged about 1,371 new cases of COVID-19 per day since Friday
With no reports issued by the Department of Public Health on the weekend or Labor Day, the state reported a total of 5,484 new cases since Friday. The 1,371 a day case average is lower than the more than 1,600 cases a day the state was averaging last week.

Hospitalizations also continued to fluctuate after two months of steady increases. The state reported a total of 601 COVID hospitalizations Tuesday, which was an increase after it dropped over the weekend but still short of the 620 it rose to on Aug. 3.

Of those hospitalizations, 164 people were in intensive care and 92 patients were intubated.

Data shows that 160 of the 601 hospitalizations are people who were fully vaccinated — about 26% of all COVID hospitalizations. The vast majority — 74% — are among unvaccinated individuals, despite the fact that they account for a minority of the population. Data from the state shows the percentage of vaccinated people hospitalized for COVID has dropped in the past week after hitting around 30%.

Twelve more COVID deaths were reported since last Friday.

The seven-day average percent positivity of new tests continued to dip downward and is at 2.32%.

The state reported 4,415 more breakthrough cases since last Tuesday’s report. A comparison of the seven-day report to the most recent seven days worth of new cases shows that approximately 40% of new cases are among those who are fully vaccinated.

According to the state, a total of 762 fully vaccinated people have been hospitalized for COVID since becoming vaccinated.

An analysis in The New York TimesTuesday estimated vaccinated individuals in the U.S. have about one in 5,000 per day chance of getting COVID, and that the chances are even lower for people who take precautions or live in a highly vaccinated community. In areas like the Northeast, the analysis shows the chances are lower and probably less than 1 in 10,000.

According to the Mass. Department of Public Health, 0.53% of all vaccinated individuals in the state have tested positive for the virus since vaccination. Deaths among vaccinated individuals is just 0.004%.

A total of about 4.5 million Massachusetts residents are fully vaccinated, or about 64% of the state’s full 2021 population.

The 20 to 29 age group continues to be the age group testing positive by the greatest numbers and the biggest rate, followed by those 30 to 39.

 

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Even as new COVID cases in Massachusetts slow, hospitalizations are at highest level since April

The most recent mini-surge in new COVID cases in Massachusetts has slowed, even as hospitalizations — driven mostly by unvaccinated patients — hit their highest numbers since the end of April.

Massachusetts reported 1,362 new cases on Wednesday. Although cases have continued to rise week over week, that rise has slowed dramatically and has shown signs of leveling off.

The state reported 622 COVID hospitalizations. The statistic is at the highest number since April 26 when COVID was on the decline after a spring surge.

Of those hospitalizations, 167 people are in intensive care and 93 are intubated. A closer look at reveals that 74% of those are among unvaccinated individuals with the remaining 26% among those who have reported being fully vaccinated.

About 65% of the state’s full 2021 population is now fully vaccinated

The seven-day percent positivity of new tests ticked slightly up to 2.38%

The state reported 15 more deaths Wednesday. Deaths from the virus have remained relatively low since the onset of vaccinations.

New cases of the virus rose by about 5% last week over the previous week

An analysis of the state’s breakthrough case data shows that about 40% of new cases are among vaccinated individuals.

 

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Massachusetts reports 2,096 new COVID cases Thursday as hospitalizations remain steady

Massachusetts reported 2,096 new cases of COVID-19 on Thursday, following the Labor Day weekend.

Massachusetts has typically seen upticks in daily reports following holidays, the most recent after the Fourth of July holiday. Cases have continued to rise since then.

Although new COVID cases remain elevated, growth was showing signs of slowing in the past few weeks. COVID cases by test date shows new cases slowed to just a 7% increase last week over the previous week.

It is unclear what impact students returning to school combined with the holiday weekend will have on virus trends in the coming weeks.

Hospitalizations are hovering at 622. Of those 622 people, 166 patients were in intensive care and 93 are intubated.

The percentage of vaccinated individuals among the COVID hospitalizations creeped back up to 29% after dipping over the past week. About 71% of COVID hospitalizations are among unvaccinated people.

About 40% of cases in the general public are breakthrough cases of vaccinated individuals, with the other 60% being unvaccinated people.

The seven-day average percent positivity of new tests had been going back down but rose today to 2.48%.

There were 18 more COVID deaths reported.

4.5 million Massachusetts residents — or about 65% of the population — are now fully vaccinated against the virus.

 

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Breakthrough COVID hospitalizations in Mass. below 30% of total as state reports 1,726 new cases

Massachusetts reported 1,726 new cases of COVID-19 on Friday as well as 18 new deaths.

The daily report of new infections remains elevated, but Friday’s new case total was a decline from the 2,096 new cases reported on Thursday.

The data from the Massachusetts Department of Public Health showed hospitalizations have continued to grow and have risen to 624 statewide. Of those, 168 were in intensive care and 86 were intubated. Hospitalizations rose quickly last month and have been fluctuating around 620 this week after hitting a pandemic low of 80 at the end of June.

Breakthrough cases accounted for 181 of those hospitalizations — or 29% of total COVID cases in hospitals. The remaining 71% are among unvaccinated individuals, including those who may not have received a second dose of the vaccine. The percentage of breakthrough cases in the hospitals was at 30% last week, then dipped to 25% before rising again.

Officials say the presence of vaccinated individuals in testing and hospitalizations is not surprising given that the overwhelming population in Massachusetts is now vaccinated.

Dr. Eri Alper, chief Clinical Informations Officer at UMass Memorial Health in Worcester told MassLive the vaccinated COVID patients at the UMass Memorial hospitals tend to fare better.

“They’re generally less sick and have better outcomes than unvaccinated people with COVID,” Alper said.

The seven-day average percent positivity of tests rose to 2.52% and has been inching back upward after dropping last week.

 

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Massachusetts averaged 1,582 new COVID cases a day since last Friday, while hospitalizations climbed to 675

Massachusetts averaged 1,582 new cases of COVID-19 a day since last Friday and reported 19 more deaths. In total, 4,752 more cases were reported since Friday.

People in hospitals who tested positive for COVID climbed over the weekend to 675 — an increase of 51. The number includes those who are being treated for COVID as well as other patients who tested positive.

Of the hospitalizations, 170 are patients who are in intensive care and 88 are intubated

A total of 180 — about 26% — of COVID hospitalizations are among vaccinated individuals. The remaining 74% are unvaccinated.

About 4.6 million Massachusetts residents have now been fully vaccinated — 65% of the state’s full population. About 68% have received at least one dose.

The seven-day average percent positivity of tests has fluctuated for the past few weeks and dropped Monday to 2.22% after being at 2.52% on Friday.

The 20 to 29 age group continues to be the group testing positive at both the highest numbers and highest rate, followed by those 30 to 39 and then those 40 to 49.

The average age of patients who died of COVID is 74.

Monday was the first day of the city of Springfield’s mask mandate, requiring people to wear masks when indoors in public places. Many Massachusetts communities have either issued mandates or mask guidance since numbers began to rise in July

 

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Newly reported breakthrough COVID cases dropped last week even as hospitalizations approach April surge levels

 

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Wednesday’s cases include a backlog of testing results from Sept. 10 to Sept. 13 that were not previously reported to the Department of Public Health

https://www.masslive.com/coronavirus/2021/09/massachusetts-health-officials-report-2716-new-covid-cases-15-more-deaths-on-wednesday.html


There are 2,716 new cases of COVID-19 in Massachusetts and 15 more people have died from the virus, state health officials said Wednesday.

The seven-day average of positive tests is 2.44%, a slight increase from the 2.28% reported Tuesday.

As of Wednesday, 706 people are hospitalized with the virus, including 173 patients who are in intensive care and 93 who are intubated. That’s a small decrease from 716 people hospitalized Tuesday.

Of COVID patients currently in the hospital, 200 are reported as fully vaccinated.

About 65% of the state’s full population is now fully vaccinated. A total of 9,506 new vaccine doses have been reported since Tuesday, data indicates.

The majority of new COVID cases in Massachusetts are in unvaccinated individuals. On Tuesday, DPH reported 3,919 more COVID cases among vaccinated individuals, known as breakthrough cases, down from the 4,415 reported the week before. As of Sept. 11, there were 4,549,497 fully vaccinated people in Massachusetts and 27,777 cases in vaccinated people. Of those 27,777 cases, 823 resulted in hospitalization and 194 cases resulted in death, according to DPH.

In Springfield, city officials announced Wednesday that they have appointed the first three members of a COVID-19 Youth Council to promote vaccinations to their peers.

Worcester is looking to boost its immunization rates with four youth vaccination clinics. City officials said 81% of people 30 and older are fully vaccinated compared to 44% for individuals between 12 and 29.

 

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Massachusetts averaged 1,455 new COVID cases since Friday as hospitalizations took a dip downward

Massachusetts averaged 1,455 new cases of COVID-19 a day since Friday. The state reported a total of 4,364 new cases from Saturday through Monday and seven more deaths.

The numbers show continued elevated COVID numbers across the state but are lower than what the state had been averaging per day last week.

Hospitalizations, which have steadily climbed in the past two months, dipped back down slightly on Monday to 641. That number was at 702 on Friday. Of those, 169 people are in intensive care and 108 are intubated.

Fully vaccinated individuals accounted for 215 of the positive cases in hospitals, or 34%. The remaining 66% are people who are unvaccinated or have not completed a two-shot vaccination.

A MassLive analysis of breakthrough cases in the state showed that in the most recent seven-day reporting period for breakthrough cases, ending Sept. 11, about 36% of new cases were among the fully vaccinated while the majority — 64% — were among those who were unvaccinated. The 36/64 split is nearly the opposite of the state’s vaccinated numbers, where 65% of the state’s population is now fully vaccinated.

Although deaths from the virus have dropped drastically since vaccinations began, and continue to remain low, they have ticked up slightly in the past few weeks.

Across the country, COVID has now killed about as many Americans as the 1918-19 Spanish flu pandemic did — approximately 675,000.

Pfizer on Monday said a study has shown its vaccine is safe for 5 to 11-year-olds. The Pfizer vaccine is currently approved by the FDA for people 16 and older and has emergency use authorization for children ages 12 to 15.

 

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Breakthrough COVID cases remain at about 36% of new cases as hospitalizations see slight dip for second day

 

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Mass. reports 1,784 new COVID cases as deaths continue to slightly rise


Massachusetts reported 1,784 new cases of COVID-19 on Friday along with 13 more deaths.

The number of new cases went down slightly last week for the first time since the end of June, but new cases and hospitalizations both remain elevated. COVID deaths, which typically trail rises in cases and hospitalizations, have risen slightly in the past two weeks as well.

Hospitalizations rose slightly to 611 in today’s data reported by the Massachusetts Department of Public Health. That’s 11 more than yesterday, but the seven-day average of hospitalizations has been starting to trend down the past few days. Of those hospitalizations, 164 are in intensive care and 93 are intubated.

There were 212 vaccinated individuals among the COVID patients — or 35% of the total. The remaining 65% are either unvaccinated or have not completed a two-shot vaccination. The number is a reversal of the percentage of vaccinated people in the state with 65% — 4.6 million people — of Massachusetts’ population now fully vaccinated.

The average age of those testing positive for the virus is 34, while the average age of those who have died from COVID is 73. A total of 18,154 people in Massachusetts have died of COVID since the onset of the pandemic.

The seven-day average percent positivity of tests is now 2.09% and has been trending downward.

New vaccinations continued to climb at a steady pace this week with 8,746 new doses reported administered on Friday.

But vaccination rates have not been even across the state. Nine months after COVID vaccines first arrived in Massachusetts, two cities and nine towns remain below 50% fully vaccinated, state data released Thursday shows.

Springfield and New Bedford, respectively with 49% and 47% of people fully vaccinated, are the only cities over 100,000 people that have not vaccinated half of their residents.

For weeks, Springfield has had among the highest rates of COVID spread of Massachusetts’ population centers. The average rate of new COVID cases in the city is now more than twice as high as many of the state’s similarly-sized municipalities.

According to data released by state education officials Thursday, in the last week, 2,236 students and 318 staff members in Massachusetts public schools have been positive for COVID.

 

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COVID mini-surge shows signs of slowing as Mass. averages 1,365 new cases a day since Friday

Massachusetts averaged 1,365 new cases of COVID-19 a day since Friday, the last day the state reported new numbers.

In all, the state reported 4,095 new cases for the period that includes Saturday, Sunday and Monday. That’s the smallest Monday report since Aug. 30.

COVID hospitalizations also remained somewhat stable, with 606 people across the state testing positive for the virus in hospitals. That’s down 11 from Friday. Of those, 158 patients are in intensive care and 105 are intubated.

Most of those hospitalized with COVID continue to be unvaccinated individuals. The state reported that of Monday’s number, 106 — or 32% — of the patients were vaccinated while the remaining 68% were either completely unvaccinated or had not completed a two-shot vaccination. COVID hospitalizations can also include people who were hospitalized for other issues but tested positive for the virus.

The not fully vaccinated individuals are disproportionate to the state’s population, which is now about 66% fully vaccinated.

Deaths, which had been reduced to single digits daily, have been ticking back up in recent weeks. COVID deaths typically lag behind rises in cases and hospitalizations. The state reported 14 new deaths on Monday for the reporting period that includes Saturday and Sunday as well. A total of 18,168 confirmed COVID deaths have occurred in Massachusetts since the beginning of the pandemic.

A number that has been moving in the positive direction is the seven-day average percent positivity of COVID tests, which dipped down to 1.87% Monday. It was 2.09% on Friday.

On Monday, the state’s Department of Elementary and Secondary Education announced it was moving the date until which public schools are required to have students wear masks to Nov. 1. It had previously set the date at Oct. 1. However, schools with a vaccination rate of 80% or more of all students and staff can remove ignore the mask mandate if they choose on Oct. 15.

 

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Massachusetts reports 1,448 new COVID cases while deaths continue to increase


Massachusetts reported 1,448 new cases of COVID-19 Wednesday along with 23 more deaths.

Reports of new cases have remained steady for the past week, even dipping slightly, after more than two months of rising cases.

COVID hospitalizations, which rose to more than 700 earlier this month, have also remained somewhat stable statewide and are at 632, down 11 from Tuesday. Of those, 165 patients were in intensive care and 102 were intubated.

The percentage of weekly breakthrough cases has ranged anywhere from 33% to 41%, a MassLive analysis of the numbers shows.

The seven-day average percent positivity of tests is now 1.97%, up slightly from Tuesday, but has been trending downward overall.

Deaths, which declined precipitously after vaccinations began, have slowly climbed back up in recent weeks. A rise in COVID deaths typically follows an increases in cases and hospitalizations. In all, there have been 18,213 confirmed COVID deaths in Massachusetts since the pandemic began.

The average age of those testing positive over the past two weeks is 34 while the average age of those dying of COVID is 73.