New cases of COVID-19 down 3% in Middlesex County, decline 4.2% statewide

The number of new COVID-19 cases in both Middlesex County and the state as a whole moderated last week after several weeks of sharp increases.

Middlesex County reported 3,786 cases in the week ending Sunday, down nearly 3% from the previous week's total of 3,902 new cases, according to a USA TODAY Network analysis of Johns Hopkins University data. Nine coronavirus-related deaths were reported in the county last week, up from six the week before.

Throughout the pandemic, Middlesex County has reported 335,583 cases and 3,970 deaths.

Statewide, there were 13,862 new cases of the coronavirus last week, down 4.2% from the 14,469 reported the previous week. Forty-six people died of COVID-19 causes in Massachusetts last week, up from 33 the week before.

Neighboring counties also reported declines in cases.

Worcester County's new case count totaled 1,110 last week, down 13.3% from the 1,280 cases reported the previous week. There were two deaths last week, down from four the week before.

Norfolk County reported 1,312 cases last week, down 4.6% from the 1,375 new cases reported the previous week. There were seven deaths in the county last week, up from five the week before.

Throughout Massachusetts, cases fell in six counties, with the sharpest declines occurring in the three local countuies — Worcester, Middlesex and Norfolk.

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Massachusetts is second nationally in terms of its share of people receiving at least one vaccination shot, with 98% of its residents at least partially vaccinated. The national rate is 77.5%, a USA TODAY analysis of CDC data shows. The Pfizer and Moderna vaccines, which are the most used in the United States, require two doses administered a few weeks apart.

In the week ending Sunday, Massachusetts reported administering another 89,640 vaccine doses, including 14,913 first doses. In the previous week, the state administered 107,109 vaccine doses, including 15,749 first doses. In all, Massachusetts reported it has administered more than 14.7 million total doses.

Within Massachusetts, the worst weekly outbreaks on a per-person basis are in Berkshire County, with 291 cases per 100,000 per week; Suffolk County (280); and Hampshire County (251). The Centers for Disease Control says high levels of community transmission begin at 100 cases per 100,000 per week.

A total of 1,738,231 people in Massachusetts have tested positive for the coronavirus since the pandemic began, and 20,222 people have died from the disease, Johns Hopkins University data shows. Nationally, nearly 81 million people have tested positive and 991,254 have died.

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Massachusetts' COVID-19 hospital admissions rising

USA TODAY analyzed federal hospital data as of Sunday.

Likely COVID-19 patients admitted in the state:

• Last week: 1,003

• The week before that: 870

• Four weeks ago: 808

Likely COVID-19 patients admitted in the nation:

• Last week: 40,571

• The week before that: 37,500

• Four weeks ago: 39,316

Hospitals in 37 states reported having more COVID-19 patients last week than they did a week earlier, while hospitals in 25 states had more COVID-19 patients in intensive-care beds. Hospitals in 42 states admitted more COVID-19 patients last week than a week prior, the USA TODAY analysis of U.S. Health and Human Services data shows.

This article originally appeared on MetroWest Daily News: Middlesex County reported 3,786 additional COVID-19 cases last week