Massachusetts public health officials reported 1,006 new confirmed coronavirus cases and 20 more deaths on Tuesday.
The update brings the totals to 560,981 confirmed cases and 16,123 deaths, according to the Massachusetts Department of Public Health. Another 333 deaths are considered probably linked to COVID-19.
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Generally, Massachusetts' coronavirus metrics have been trending downward in the past several weeks, according to the Department of Public Health's interactive coronavirus dashboard, with the average number of cases, hospitalizations and deaths peaking in the second week of January. The testing rate peaked Jan. 1. 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 may reflect incomplete data.
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The percentage of coronavirus tests coming back positive, on average, ticked up to 1.74% from 1.67%.
The number of patients hospitalized for COVID-19 increased to 704. Of that number, 185 were listed as being in intensive care units and 117 were intubated, according to health officials.
The number of estimated active cases decreased to 26,636 from 27,369 on Monday.
Also on Tuesday, the Board of Elementary and Secondary Education released new guidance laying out a timeline for when Massachusetts schools will be required to return to full-time, classroom learning, setting the expectation that middle and elementary schoolers will be back in classrooms in April.
