Public health officials in Massachusetts confirmed another 2,362 cases of the coronavirus and 35 new deaths on Saturday.
The total number of confirmed cases has risen to 590,961and the death toll to 16,746, according to the Massachusetts Department of Public Health. Another 340 deaths are considered probably linked to COVID-19.
It's the third straight day with more than 2,250 cases reported in the Bay State, and the most since Feb. 7.
The percentage of coronavirus tests coming back positive, on average, is 2.35% — a relatively unchanged mark from Friday's 2.32%. That figure had been below 2% as recently as March 16.
Many of the state's coronavirus metrics had been trending downward after a peak at the very start of the year, though have leveled off in recent weeks, according to the Department of Public Health's interactive coronavirus dashboard.
The figures reported daily are important for tracking trends with the virus' spread, though a single-day change may not reflect a larger trend, and sometimes reflects incomplete data.
The number of patients hospitalized for COVID-19 rose, up to 654 from 622 on Friday. Of that number, 143 were listed as being in intensive care units and 86 were intubated, according to health officials.
The number of estimated active cases increased to 29,806 from 28,810 on Friday.
On Saturday, Massachusetts held the first of four days dedicated specifically for educators and school staff to receive a first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine. The other three dates will be April 3, April 10 and April 11.
Educators, including K-12 educators, K-12 staff members or child care workers, must use the preregistration system to request an appointment at one of seven mass vaccination sites: Gillette Stadium, the Hynes Convention Center, the Reggie Lewis Center in Boston, the DoubleTree in Danvers, the Eastfield Mall in Springfield, the Natick Mall and the former Circuit City in Dartmouth.
