Massachusetts reports 1,560 new coronavirus cases, 14 deaths

Massachusetts health officials on Thursday reported 1,560 new coronavirus cases, as 14 more people died of COVID-19 and hospitalizations ticked up.

Infections have been higher amid the more highly contagious delta variant, but daily case tallies have been lower in the past two weeks. The 1,560 new virus cases now bring the daily average of infections to 968. The daily average was 1,896 a month ago.

The daily average percent positivity has been down in recent weeks. The percent positivity is now 2.03%, compared to 2.98% last month.

The positive test average was 1.45% for Thursday’s report.

State health officials reported 14 new COVID deaths, bringing the state’s total recorded death toll to 18,816.

The daily average of deaths has been climbing. The average is now 11.7, up from the record-low death count of 1.3 in mid-July.

COVID hospitalizations went up by 11 patients, bringing the total to 567 patients.

There are now 142 patients in intensive care units, and 83 patients are currently intubated.

Of the 567 total patients, 207 patients are fully vaccinated — or about 36%. Those who are unvaccinated are at a much higher risk for a severe case.

Overall in the Bay State, almost 4.7 million people are fully vaccinated, and more than 5.1 million people have gotten at least one shot. The state reported that 226,667 people have received a booster dose.