BOSTON (WBZ NewsRadio) — The Massachusetts Department of Public Health reported another 387 confirmed cases of COVID-19 on Friday, bringing the state's total number of confirmed cases to nearly 110,000.
The state DPH reported an additional 14 deaths to the virus, upping the confirmed COVID-death toll in Massachusetts to 8,389.
There have also been more than 7,800 "probable cases," and 220 deaths linked to probable cases across the Commonwealth.
Over the past few weeks, the DPH has reported a slight uptick in the rate of positive COVID-19 cases in the state, from 1.7 percent to 2.1 percent.
At a press conference on Friday, Gov. Baker said the increase has been linked to "COVID clusters" that are popping up from people spreading the virus at private parties and events.
Baker said the state Department of Public Health is now investigating several "cluster incidents," including a large lifeguard party in Falmouth, a house party in Chatham, an unauthorized football camp in South Weymouth, a high school graduation party in Chelmsford, and a large house party in Wrentham.
Read More: Private Parties Under Investigation For Causing "COVID Clusters"
The DPH said the number of new cases reported today "appears higher because of delays in the reporting of test results to DPH from multiple laboratories, including large national commercial laboratories. However, these positive test results have been assigned retrospectively to the appropriate date of test.”
According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, there has been nearly 4.6 million cases confirmed in the U.S., and more than 150,000 Americans have died from the virus since mid-March.
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