COVID-19 update: 311 new cases, 2 deaths reported on Cape and Islands

There were 7,408 newly confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Massachusetts, increasing the total number of cases to 1,902,403 since the pandemic began, the state Department of Public Health reported on Thursday.

In their weekly report, state officials also noted 969 new probable cases of coronavirus for a statewide total of 175,822.

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As of Oct 18, 253 patients were primarily hospitalized with COVID-19-related illnesses and 868 total patients hospitalized with COVID-19, the state agency reported.

Eighty-five patients were in intensive care units, or ICUs, and 34 patients were intubated.

How many COVID-19 cases on Cape & Islands

Closer to home, in Thursday's weekly report, state health officials said Barnstable County posted 287 new coronavirus cases, for a total 45,113 since the pandemic started. Dukes County (Martha's Vineyard) reported 17 new coronavirus cases, for a to-date total of 4,188. Nantucket County reported seven new cases as well, for a total  3,757.

Case numbers are lower than last week’s report, which indicated 357 new cases on the Cape and Islands.

The state’s 14-day positivity rate was 7.85%. The 14-day positivity rate for Barnstable County came in at 10.77%, and 6.01% for Dukes and Nantucket counties.

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Cape Cod Hospital in Hyannis was treating 17 patients with coronavirus, none in the ICU. Falmouth Hospital reported eight patients, with no patients in the ICU. Martha’s Vineyard Hospital had no patients. Nantucket Cottage Hospital had no patients being treated for coronavirus.

State health officials said Thursday there were 58 new deaths statewide among people with confirmed cases of COVID-19, increasing the total deaths to 20,459 since the pandemic began.

There were 24 deaths statewide from probable cases of COVID-19. The number of deaths from probable cases is 1,464 in Massachusetts.

Barnstable County posted two new deaths, the state agency reported. The total probable and confirmed deaths from COVID-19 is 662 in Barnstable County. There were no new deaths in Dukes and Nantucket counties combined, for a total fatality count of 22 since the pandemic began in March 2020.

What are COVID-19 number in your community?

The two-week COVID-19 case count, total case count and 14-day testing positivity rate for Cape Cod towns follows:

Barnstable (139; 11,561; 11.16%); Bourne (38; 4,271; 6.87%); Brewster (14; 1,756; 5.03%); Chatham (16; 1,061; 10.5%); Dennis (58; 2,824; 14.62%); Eastham (15; 623; 11.49%); Falmouth (104; 5,622; 11.6%); Harwich (34; 2,521; 11.9%); Mashpee (43; 3,129; 10.43%); Orleans (23; 961; 12.82%): Provincetown (less than five; 490; 5.63%); Sandwich (72; 4,265; 13.16%); Truro (less than five; 208; 6.06%); Wellfleet (less than five; 332; 4.55%) and Yarmouth (75; 5,489; 11.15%).

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This article originally appeared on Cape Cod Times: Cape and Islands see 311 new COVID-19 cases, 2 deaths