The nation’s top doctors, including Dr. Anthony Faucci, are concerned that COVID mutations like those found in South Africa, the UK and Brazil, could undo the recent progress.
Massachusetts health officials reported 1,319 new confirmed coronavirus cases and 68 more deaths on Monday.
There have now been totals of 519,125 confirmed cases and 14,821 deaths in the Bay State, according to the Massachusetts Department of Public Health. Another 303 deaths are considered probably linked to COVID-19.
Generally, Massachusetts' coronavirus metrics have been trending down in the past several weeks, according to the Department of Public Health's interactive coronavirus dashboard, with the average number of cases, hospitalizations and deaths peaking in the second week of January. The testing rate peaked Jan. 1. The figures reported daily are important for tracking trends with the virus' spread, though a single-day change may not reflect a larger trend, and may reflect incomplete data.
The percentage of coronavirus tests coming back positive, on average, remained at 2.96% for the third straight day.
The number of patients hospitalized for COVID-19 rose to 1,401 from 1,387. Of that number on Tuesday, 324 were listed as being in intensive care units and 191 were intubated, according to health officials.
The number of estimated active cases fell to 55,659 from 58,439 on Monday.
