Massachusetts Department of Health data reveals nearly half of COVID-19 hospitalizations are incidental

A report revealed Thursday that nearly half of COVID-19 hospitalizations are incidental.

This week, the Massachusetts Department of Health began tracking virus hospitalizations differently by separating diagnosis into two different categories, primary and incidental.

Of the 3,192 hospitalized COVID-19 patients statewide on January 18th, 1,666 (52.2%) patients were reported as being hospitalized due to their COVID-19 (primary COVID-19) and 1,526 (47.8%) hospitalized patients were reported as testing positive for COVID-19 while hospitalized for other reasons (incidental COVID-19).

Patients are reported as being hospitalized due to their COVID-19 if they received dexamethasone treatment. Administration of dexamethasone, a type of steroid medication, is considered an indicator of moderate to severe COVID-19 and provides an estimate of primary COVID-19.

Approximately 1,500 of the overall virus hospitalizations were among vaccinated individuals.

Courtesy Massachusetts Department of Health

The data also revealed that deaths and hospitalizations statewide have begun to slightly decrease after weeks of increases.

Courtesy Massachusetts Department of Health