Massachusetts health officials reported 1,920 new confirmed coronavirus cases and 82 more deaths on Wednesday.
There have now been totals of 521,045 confirmed cases and 14,903 deaths in the Bay State, according to the Massachusetts Department of Public Health. Another 304 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, fell to 2.82% from 2.96%.
The number of patients hospitalized for COVID-19 decreased to 1,358. Of that number on Wednesday, 309 were listed as being in intensive care units and 183 were intubated, according to health officials.
The number of estimated active cases declined to 52,372 from 55,659 on Tuesday.
Also Wednesday, Massachusetts health officials said they plan to begin this week allowing anyone who accompanies an eligible senior to one of the state's mass vaccination sites to receive a shot themselves.
Effective Thursday at Massachusetts mass vaccination sites, anyone accompanying a person age 75 or older to get the vaccine may schedule their own appointment to be vaccinated on the same day.
The move is aimed at increasing the speed of vaccine distribution to seniors in the state. Massachusetts' vaccine rollout earned a failing grade Wednesday, labeled in a new Harvard report as one of the worst in the nation.
