BOSTON (WBZ NewsRadio) — There are some promising trends when it comes to the latest Covid-19 data for the Commonwealth.
For the first time in 2021, the Department of Public Health reports the number of coronavirus patients in the hospital is below 1,900 -- currently at 1,878. However the number of patients in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) has increased, now at 442.
The state also recorded 4,222 new cases of the virus, bringing the number of active cases in the Commonwealth up to 78,171. The new positive cases are based on 116,693 tests administered. Since the pandemic began, Massachusetts has reported a total of 488,861 positive cases across the state.
The DPH also reports 43 additional deaths from Covid-19, bringing the state's total number of Covid-related deaths up to 14,056.
As of Thursday, the state's 7-day average positivity rate is also the lowest since the start of the new year -- at 4.44 percent.
When it comes to the state's weekly Covid-19 report, the numbers also show a promising trend: fewer communities are in the "red zone" for high risk of Covid-19 transmission.
The Commonwealth reports 192 cities and towns in the red, compared to 222 last week, and 229 the week before.
According to Johns Hopkins University, the total number of U.S. cases of Covid-19 is over 25.7 million, and 423,127 Americans have died from the virus.
WBZ NewsRadio's Carl Stevens (@carlwbz) reports.
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Written by Rachel Armany
(Photo: Getty Images)