Massachusetts COVID-19 positive test rate jumps to 2.20%, hospitalizations increase for second day

Massachusetts saw an increase in cases, hospitalizations, and average positive test rate in Tuesday’s COVID-19 report.

Massachusetts saw 1,476 more positive cases announced today. An increase from Monday’s report. The 7 day weighted average positive test rate increased to 2.20% and the highest since February 15th. Two weeks ago from Sunday, the 1.66% registered was the lowest it had been since October 22nd.

Massachusetts had seen 1,103 more positive cases announced yesterday.

The Massachusetts Department of Health statistics show a rise in total confirmed cases to 582,159 with 21 more reported dead (20 confirmed, 1 probable) for a total of 16,915 (16,578 confirmed, 337 probable).

The overall amount of tests administered in Massachusetts is now 18,094,681 after 49,100 new molecular tests.

The 7 day average of confirmed COVID-19 deaths is currently 25.4.

Estimated active cases saw another increase to 27,006.

Hospitalizations have increased in 99 of the last 180 days and 74 of the last 139, and saw an increase of 5, to raise the total to 606. COVID-19 hospitalizations have continued to decrease as of late as there were 2,428 in the Bay State on January 4th. Sunday’s total of 580 was the lowest since November 7th.

Nursing home cases and cluster information issued on March 18th.

Weekly COVID-19 Public Health Report

According to the March 18th report, Fall River has a 22.0 Average Daily COVID-19 Rate per 100,000 population (Last 14 days) (23.0 last week). New Bedford saw a decrease to 18.7 (was 21.0). Westport saw an increase to 20.5 (was 17.9), Swansea is at 14.3 and was 18.4 last week. Somerset also saw a decrease as they sit at 12.0 (was 17.0). Freetown stayed at 28.4 which is tops in Bristol County. Dartmouth is currently at 16.0 after seeing 18.3 last week. Acushnet saw 23.9 (was 21.2).

20 Massachusetts communities are still in the red (high risk) which is up from 14 last week. Barnstable, Chicopee, Dighton, Douglas, Fall River, Freetown, Hanson, Lancaster, Lawrence, Lowell, Methuen, Millis, Plymouth, Revere, Rutland, Southwick, Sterling, Sutton, West Bridgewater, and Yarmouth.

Massachusetts residents subject to COVID-19 quarantine by current status up to March 18th
• Total of individuals subject to quarantine: 271,089
• Total of individuals who have completed monitoring (no longer in quarantine): 261,430
• Total of individuals currently undergoing monitoring/under quarantine: 9,659

Massachusetts Officials have issued a “vaccine doses administered and shipped” report updated on March 18th.

As of March 23rd, according to the CDC, the United States has seen 29,708,385 cases of COVID-19 with 540,503 reported deaths.

(Graphics courtesy of CDC)