Massachusetts coronavirus cases spike 3,335 over the weekend, hospitalizations keep climbing – Boston Herald

Massachusetts health officials on Monday reported a spike of 3,335 coronavirus cases over the weekend, as hospitalizations continued to rise amid the spread of the delta variant.

Cases have been jumping at a rapid pace as the more highly contagious delta variant spreads. The daily average of cases is now 1,013, which compares to the record-low daily average of 64 cases in late June.

The 3,335 new cases over the weekend was 339 more infections than last weekends report.

The daily percent positivity average is now 2.59%. The percent positivity had been climbing since the pandemic-low average of 0.31% in late June, but the average has started to decline from 2.98% two weeks ago.

State health officials also reported four new COVID deaths, bringing the states total recorded death toll to 18,179.

COVID deaths had been ticking up in recent weeks following the rise of infections and hospitalizations. The daily average of COVID deaths is now 4.3, which is up from the record-low daily average of 1.1 in July.

Hospitalizations continued to climb over the weekend. The increase of 63 patients now brings the total COVID patient total to 530 patients. That total is back up to where the Bay State was in the beginning of May.

There are now 139 patients in intensive care units, and 68 patients are intubated.

The daily average of 463 hospitalizations is more than five times the record-low daily average of 85 patients in July.

The state recently started listing how many of the current patients are vaccinated or unvaccinated. Of the total 530 COVID patients, 155 patients have been fully vaccinated or 29%. Those who are unvaccinated are at a much higher risk for a severe infection.

More than 4.45 million people in Massachusetts have been fully vaccinated.

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Massachusetts coronavirus cases spike 3,335 over the weekend, hospitalizations keep climbing - Boston Herald