Massachusetts has seen just 18 more coronavirus deaths and 195 new cases, health officials said Tuesday.
It continues the trend of the past few weeks, when the daily COVID-19 report from the Massachusetts Department of Public Health has revealed only a few dozen new deaths and a few hundred new cases each day. At the height of the coronavirus surge, more than 150 people were dying every day, with several thousand testing positive.
On Monday, the department reported just 23 new deaths and just 87 new cases. Reports on Mondays have consistently been lower than average, coming after the weekend, when less testing activity might have taken place, but Tuesday's numbers are even lower, setting a new mark for after the surge.
Massachusetts' death toll now stands at 7,665 and the total number of people who've tested positive for the virus at 105,885.
Not all states are on a downward trajectory -- Arizona and Florida have reported record increases this week. Gov. Charlie Baker on Monday urged people who have been to recent social justice protests in Massachusetts to get tested, as health officials fear a spike
The six indicators informing how fast Massachusetts can move through the four phases of reopening the state are: the COVID-19 positive test rate, the number of individuals who died from COVID-19, the number of patients with COVID-19 in hospitals, the health care system's readiness, testing capacity, contact tracing capabilities. Their statuses have held steady, with half in a positive trend and half "in progress" since June 5.
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For months, Massachusetts has been one of the epicenters of COVID-19 in the U.S. It has the fifth-most cases among all states and the third-most deaths, but the state is now in Phase 2 of its reopening plan, which sees many businesses able to reopen their doors, though with restrictions.
Baker and other health officials have said Massachusetts' high tallies may be due to the state testing among the most residents per capita in the country.
