For a second day in a row, there were more than 5,000 new COVID-19 cases in Massachusetts.
The Department of Public Health announced Friday that there were 5,192 new coronavirus cases. Massachusetts also reported 37 more coronavirus deaths.
The news comes on the heels of two days of record-breaking case counts in the Bay State — 4,613 Wednesday and 6,477 Thursday.
There have now been 10,674 confirmed deaths and 237,456 cases, according to the DPH. Another 236 deaths are considered probably linked to COVID-19.
The percentage of coronavirus tests coming back positive, on average, has increased to 5.44%, according to the report.
The number of patients hospitalized for COVID-19 has increased to 1,394. Of that number, 278 were listed as being in intensive care units and 134 are intubated, according to DPH.
Gov. Charlie Baker said Tuesday the first coronavirus vaccines could start arriving in Massachusetts as early as this month, but it will take time to achieve widespread distribution.
The first doses will likely be reserved for frontline health care workers, people over the age of 65 or with underlying health conditions, and other essential workers. The state is preparing to submit its final plan for vaccine acceptance and distribution to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control on Friday.
The vaccines are designed for adults over the age of 18, Baker noted at his Tuesday news conference.
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"The focus is going to be on the people we are all the most worried about, right, either because of what they do for work or because of their age or because of their physical condition," Baker said.
While touring the field hospital set to reopen at Worcester's DCU Center Thursday, Baker announced another field hospital would be established in Lowell.
