For the 10th straight day, Massachusetts health officials announced fewer than 1,000 new coronavirus cases, as the state's Department of Public Health confirmed 494 more COVID cases on Sunday.
Five new deaths were also reported. The new numbers pushed the state's confirmed caseload to 656,838 and the death toll to 17,394 since the start of the pandemic.
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Many of Massachusetts' COVID metrics, including the average number of coronavirus cases, average coronavirus test positivity and average number of confirmed deaths reported each day, have been falling since the end of March, according to trends posted to the Department of Public Health's interactive coronavirus dashboard.
The seven-day average of positive tests on Sunday ticked down to 1%.
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The number of patients in Massachusetts hospitals with confirmed COVID-19 cases decreased to 337. Of those currently hospitalized, 94 are listed as being in intensive care units and 55 are intubated.
Health officials' projection of active COVID-19 cases also decreased again to 14,146 Sunday, from 14,396 Saturday.
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More than 7.1 million doses of the COVID-19 vaccine have been administered in Massachusetts, including more than 3.9 million first doses and more than 2.9 million second doses of the Moderna and Pfizer vaccines. There have been more than 231,000 doses of the one-shot Johnson & Johnson vaccine administered.
According to the DPH, 3,202,166 Bay State residents had been fully vaccinated as of Sunday. Gov. Charlie Baker is aiming to reach 4.1 million fully vaccinated by the beginning of June -- which will include 12- to 15-year-olds after the CDC gave the green light for them to get Pfizer's vaccine.
On Saturday, 750 middle school students rolled up their sleeves at a vaccine clinic in Needham -- less than a week after the CDC's ruling.
The clinic was complete with a selfie station, free lollipops and familiar faces. The district plans to hold a second clinic at Needham High School next Saturday.
Meanwhile, Baker is expected to update the state's reopening plans early this week.
