Massachusetts health officials on Friday reported a spike of 586 new coronavirus cases, the most daily infections in the Bay State in more than two months amid the delta variant surge.
The more contagious delta variant now accounts for more than 80% of COVID cases across the country.
Daily infection counts had plummeted in Massachusetts amid the vaccine rollout, but cases have been spiking in the last week. The seven-day average of daily cases in the Bay State is now 311, nearly five times as many infections as in late June when the record-low average was 64 cases.
Before Friday, the last time the state had reported more than 500 daily cases was on May 20.
The average percent positivity has also significantly increased in recent weeks, going from the pandemic low of 0.31% in late June to now 1.53%.
State health officials on Friday also reported five more COVID deaths, bringing the state’s total recorded death toll to 18,046.
The seven-day average of deaths is now 2.3, up from the record low of 1.3 last week.
There are now 114 COVID patients in the hospital, which is down four patients from Thursday’s total of 118 patients. The record-low total number of patients in Massachusetts hospitals was 80 patients on July 4.
There are now 29 patients in intensive care units, and 12 patients are currently intubated.
The seven-day average of hospitalizations is now 110 patients, up from the record-low average of 85 patients two weeks ago.
More than 4.3 million people in Massachusetts are fully vaccinated.
The state hit its goal of vaccinating 4.1 million people last month, but cases are now steadily on the rise again.
