Massachusetts health officials on Monday reported 10 new coronavirus deaths and 165 new cases as the average positive test rate ticked down after gradually climbing for more than two weeks.
The 10 new coronavirus deaths bring the state’s COVID-19 death toll to 8,648, 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 12 now.
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 decreased to 2%.
Through July until the last week of the month, the rate had been below 2%.
The state has logged 118,657 cases of the highly contagious disease, an increase of 165 confirmed cases and 34 probable cases since Sunday. Of the 118,657 total cases, at least 97,595 people have recovered.
Coronavirus hospitalizations went down by 31 patients, bringing the state’s COVID-19 hospitalization total to 375. Overall, the statewide hospitalization total has declined by 3,187 since May 5.
There are 64 patients in the ICU, and 24 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 383 now.
An additional 12,278 tests have brought the state’s total to more than 1.5 million tests.
The state reported 24,244 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 8,648 total coronavirus deaths, 5,508 are connected to long-term care facilities.
The U.S. has recorded more than 4.6 million coronavirus cases — the most cases in the world. More than 155,000 Americans have died, and more than 1.4 million have recovered.
