Students at Massachusetts schools from kindergarten up to universities, as well as children at least 6 months old in day care, must get the flu vaccine by the end of the year if they’re around others, health officials said Wednesday.
New England states reported an additional 447 coronavirus cases and 35 new deaths on Wednesday.
MASSACHUSETTS
Massachusetts reported 28 newly confirmed coronavirus deaths and 262 newly confirmed cases on Wednesday, pushing the state's confirmed COVID-19 death toll to more than 8,640 and its confirmed caseload past 115,000.
State public health officials said the seven-day weighted average of positive tests was about 1.4%.
The state on Wednesday also reported more than 560 probable cases of COVID-19 in the past week, bringing the total number of probable cases to nearly 9,370. The state also reported an additional nine probable deaths, bringing the total number of probable COVID-19 deaths to more than 230.
The true number of cases is likely higher because many people have not been tested, and studies suggest people can be infected and not feel sick.
There were more than 360 people reported hospitalized Wednesday because of COVID-19, while more than 60 were in intensive care units.
The number of confirmed and probable COVID-19 related deaths at long-term care homes rose to more than 5,680 or about 64% of all confirmed and probable deaths in Massachusetts attributed to the disease.
NEW HAMPSHIRE
As of Wednesday, 7,036 people had tested positive for the virus in New Hampshire, an increase of 19 from the previous day.
Three new deaths were announced, for a total of 427. The seven-day rolling average of daily new cases in New Hampshire decreased over the past two weeks from 23 new cases per day on Aug. 4 to 22 new cases per day on Aug. 18.
For most people, the coronavirus causes mild or moderate symptoms, such as fever and cough that clear up in two to three weeks. For some, especially older adults and people with existing health problems, it can cause more severe illness, including pneumonia and death.
MAINE
Maine reported 25 new coronavirus cases have been reported in Maine and no additional deaths, according to the Bangor Daily News.
Maine has 4,234 reported cases of the virus and 127 deaths.
VERMONT
Vermont reported three new cases of the coronavirus on Wednesday, for a statewide total since the pandemic began of just over 1,530. The total number of deaths remains at 58. Two people were currently hospitalized with COVID-19.
CONNECTICUT
On Wednesday, the state released new COVID-19 numbers for Connecticut, which included an additional 59 cases since yesterday. The total number of cases of coronavirus in Connecticut is 51,314.
One additional death was reported, bringing the total number of coronavirus-related deaths to 4,457.
RHODE ISLAND
There were three new fatalities and 79 new cases of the novel coronavirus reported on Wednesday by the Rhode Island Department of Health. There have now been 1,027 total deaths and 20,795 total cases, according to health officials.
