Massachusetts health officials on Tuesday reported nine new coronavirus deaths and 438 new cases as the average positive test rate went back up to 2.2%.
The nine new coronavirus deaths bring the state’s COVID-19 death toll to 8,657, the state Department of Public Health announced. The three-day average of coronavirus daily deaths has dropped from 161 at the start of May to 10 now.
The state has logged 119,203 cases of the highly contagious disease, an increase of 438 confirmed cases and 108 probable cases since Monday. Of the 119,203 total cases, at least 97,595 people have recovered.
As of Sunday, the seven-day weighted average of the state’s positive test rate had increased from 1.7% to 2.2% since July 14.
On Monday, the average positive test rate went down to 2%, but that was followed by a return to 2.2% on Tuesday.
Coronavirus hospitalizations went down by 21 patients, bringing the state’s COVID-19 hospitalization total to 354. Overall, the statewide hospitalization total has declined by 3,208 since May 5.
There are 56 patients in the ICU, and 29 patients are currently intubated.
The highest peak of Massachusetts’ coronavirus hospitalizations was 3,965 on April 21. The three-day average of the number of coronavirus hospitalizations has gone from 3,707 on May 1 to 378 now.
An additional 15,316 tests have brought the state’s total to more than 1.6 million tests.
The state reported 24,376 residents and health care workers at long-term care facilities have now contracted the virus, with 376 facilities reporting at least one case of COVID-19.
Of the state’s 8,657 total coronavirus deaths, 5,512 are connected to long-term care facilities.
The U.S. has recorded more than 4.7 million coronavirus cases — the most cases in the world. More than 156,000 Americans have died, and more than 1.5 million have recovered.
