COVID-19 cases continue to climb across the Bay State, while virus hospitalizations decreased over the long weekend.
The state Department of Public Health reported a daily average of 1,629 COVID-19 cases over the holiday weekend, which was up 22% from the daily rate of 1,333 infections during the previous weekend. For comparison, the omicron variant peak weekend was 20,329 daily cases in early January.
The omicron BA.2 variant has contributed to the increase in cases, along with mask mandates being lifted and more people gathering in person. The Boston-area COVID-19 wastewater data is now climbing again.
The state’s positive test average had been plummeting, but is now rising. The average is now 4.2% — up from 1.6% a few weeks ago. The positive test rate for Tuesday’s report was 4.4%.
The state reported two new COVID-19 deaths, bringing the total recorded death toll to 20,181. The seven-day average of deaths is now four, which had been much higher following the omicron hospitalization surge.
There are now 328 COVID-19 patients hospitalized in the state, down 15 patients from the total count of 343 patients on Friday. Hospitalizations had been spiking for several weeks amid the omicron surge, but then plunged. Patient counts last week did start rising again.
The state reported that 35 patients are in intensive care units, and 14 patients are currently intubated.
Of the hospitalized COVID-19 patients statewide, 33% of the patients were reported as being hospitalized due to COVID-19 and 67% of the patients were reported as testing positive while hospitalized for other reasons.
The state’s weekly breakthrough report was again delayed on Tuesday. During the previous week, the Department of Public Health reported 4,154 fully vaccinated cases, a weekly increase of 92 fully vaccinated patients, and eight breakthrough deaths.
