BOSTON (WBZ NewsRadio) — According to the Department of Public Health, Massachusetts has confirmed nearly 2,400 new cases of coronavirus, bringing the total number of cases in the state to 53,348.
Since Friday, more than 11,600 coronavirus tests have been conducted, marking the third day in a row where more than 10,000 people were tested in Massachusetts. For most of April, between 20 to 34 percent of tests have been positive for COVID-19.
On Wednesday, Gov. Charlie Baker announced an increased effort to test people across the Commonwealth, which is a cornerstone of his administration's plan to combat the virus.
“Quest has agreed to ship 2,200 tests per day to 12 community health centers and is committed to adding more soon,” Baker said. “The first group of health centers includes facilities, and operations in Quincy, Brockton, Lowell, Fall River, New Bedford, Provincetown, and multiple sites in Boston.”
Baker said the announcement should "help expand the universe of testing,” but he cautioned that the data can "bounce around."
“The increase [in cases] is in part because we are continuing to expand testing," said Gov. Baker. "As we expand testing, it doesn’t all come in the same every single day, and the numbers vary a bit up and down."
Another 174 deaths were also attributed to the virus on Saturday. That brought the state's COVID-related death toll to 2,730 since the first death was reported just over five weeks ago in Suffolk County.
According to the DPH, the majority of deaths continue to be people over the age of 70, and those with pre-existing medical conditions. However, the state has also reported 99 people have died from the virus aged in their 50's, 20 people have died from the virus in their 40's, seven people have died from the virus in their 30's, and one person has died from the virus in their 20's.
(Photo: Getty Images)
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