The Worcester County MA reported 495 new cases of COVID-19 this week
After several weeks of sometimes sharp declines, the number of new cases of COVID-19 in the state rose 7.3% last week, from 4,906 to 5,264, according to a U.S. TODAY Network analysis of data from Johns Hopkins University.
Massachusetts ranks 16th nationally in terms of where coronavirus spreads fastest on a per-person basis. Last week, coronavirus cases in the US fell by 12.9% from the week before, with 209,244 cases reported.
With 2.1% of the country’s population, Massachusetts had 2.5% of the country’s cases in the last week. Eleven states reported more cases last week than they did the week before.
Last week, Massachusetts changed the way deaths are reported, removing thousands of deaths from official counts. This will make week-to-week comparisons inaccurate.
Worcester County reported 495 new cases last week, an increase of 2.5% from the 483 new cases reported the week before. Deaths were adjusted down by 489 last week after 35 new deaths were reported the week before.
Throughout the pandemic, Worcester County has reported 190,566 cases and 2,559 deaths.
Norfolk County reported 426 new cases last week, adjusting the death toll down by 377; a week earlier, it reported 404 new cases and 14 deaths. During the entire pandemic, it has reported 129,860 cases and 1,865 deaths.
Within Massachusetts, the worst weekly outbreaks occurred per. person in Hampshire County, with 90 cases per 100,000 pr. week; Suffolk County, at 85; and Berkshire County, with 84. The Centers for Disease Control says high levels of community transmission begin at 100 cases per year. 100,000 a week.
Adding the most new cases last week was Middlesex County (1,279); Suffolk County (686); and Worcester County (495). The number of weekly cases increased in five counties compared to the previous week, with the sharpest increases in Essex, Norfolk and Suffolk counties.
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Massachusetts is the third national in its share of people receiving at least one shot, with 96.9% of its residents at least partially vaccinated. The national rate is 76.7%, shows a US TODAY analysis of CDC data. The Pfizer and Moderna vaccines, which are the most widely used in the United States, require two doses to be administered every few weeks.
In the week ending Tuesday, Massachusetts reported having administered an additional 37,468 vaccine doses, including 17,692 first doses. In the previous week, the state administered 50,159 vaccine doses, including 25,952 first doses. In total, Massachusetts reported that it has administered more than 14.3 million total doses.
Across Massachusetts, the number of cases dropped in six counties, with the sharpest drop in Middlesex, Hampden and Hampshire counties.
After last week’s adjustment, Massachusetts reported that 3,722 fewer people died of COVID-19 in the week ending Sunday. The week before, 174 people were reported dead.
A total of 1,685,937 people in Massachusetts have been tested positive for coronavirus since the pandemic began, and 20,029 people have died from the disease, data from Johns Hopkins University shows. In the United States, 79,734,788 people tested positive and 971,162 people died.
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Massachusetts’ COVID-19 hospital admissions remain flat
USA TODAY analyzed federal hospital data from Friday.
Likely COVID-19 patients admitted to the state:
- Last week: 732
- The week before: 734
- Four weeks ago: 1,253
Likely COVID-19 patients admitted to the country:
- Last week: 42,952
- The week before that: 50,548
- Four weeks ago: 87,325
Hospitals in only two states reported having more COVID-19 patients last week than they had a week earlier, while hospitals in four states had more COVID-19 patients in intensive care units. Hospitals in five states admitted more COVID-19 patients last week than they did a week before, the U.S. TODAY analysis of U.S. Health and Human Services data shows.