Massachusetts sees dip in several virus metrics, but many local communities still in the “red”

Massachusetts saw a decrease in cases, active cases, average positive test rate, deaths, and hospitalizations in Thursday’s COVID-19 report.

Massachusetts saw 1,884 more positive cases announced today. A decrease from Wednesday’s report. The 7 day weighted average positive test rate decreased to 2.30% from 2.39%. On March 8th, the rate was 1.78%.

Massachusetts had seen 2,004 more positive cases announced yesterday.

The Massachusetts Department of Health statistics show a rise in total confirmed cases to 626,550 with 5 more reported dead (5 confirmed, 0 probable) for a total of 17,532 (17,087 confirmed, 345 probable).

The overall amount of tests administered in Massachusetts is now 20,146,905 after 101,521 new molecular tests.

The 7 day average of confirmed COVID-19 deaths decreased slightly to 8.1. At the beginning of February, the average death rate was 70+.

Estimated active cases saw a decrease of just over 300 to 35,478.

Hospitalizations have increased in 85 of the last 157 days, but saw a decrease of 1, to lower the total to 710. Before the previous 3+ weeks, COVID-19 hospitalizations had been on the decrease as there were 2,428 in the Bay State on January 4th. Late last month’s total of 580 was the lowest since November 7th.

Nursing home cases and cluster information issued on April 15th.

Weekly COVID-19 Public Health Report

According to the April 15th report, Fall River has a 35.5 Average Daily COVID-19 Rate per 100,000 population (Last 14 days) (37.2 last week). New Bedford saw a decrease to 34.9 (was 36.2). Westport saw a decrease to 25.2 (was 28.6), Swansea is at 36.3, an increase, and was 29.1 last week. Somerset also saw an increase as they sit at 30.5 (was 27.00). Freetown stands at 30.0 a decrease from 36.3. Dartmouth is currently at 26.0, a jump from last week’s 23.3. Acushnet saw 20.5 (was 24.6).

59 Massachusetts communities are still in the red (high risk) which is down from 77 last week. 55 were in the red the week before and 32 the week before that. Adams, Avon, Ayer, Barnstable, Brewster, Brockton, Chelmsford, Chicopee, Dennis, Dighton, Dracut, Edgartown, Fall River, Freetown, Hamilton, Hanson, Harwich, Haverhill, Holyoke, Lawrence, Lee, Littleton, Lowell, Ludlow, Lynn, Mashpee, Methuen, Middleborough, Milford, Monson, Nantucket, New Bedford, Oak Bluffs, Orange, Paxton, Plainville, Plymouth, Rehoboth, Revere, Saugus, Seekonk, Somerset, Southwick, Springfield, Sterling, Sutton, Swansea, Taunton, Templeton, Tisbury, Tyngsboro, Wareham, West Boyleston, West Bridgewater, West Springfield, Westport, Whitman, Williamstown, and Yarmouth.

Massachusetts Officials have issued a “vaccine doses administered and shipped” report updated on April 15th.

As of April 15th, according to the CDC, the United States has seen 31,231,869 cases of COVID-19 with 561,356 reported deaths

(Graphics courtesy of CDC)