Massachusetts reported 2,225 new confirmed coronavirus cases Tuesday and an additional 20 deaths.
There have now been 10,319 confirmed deaths and 204,060 cases, according to the Massachusetts Department of Public Health. Another 232 deaths are considered probably linked to COVID-19.
The percentage of coronavirus tests coming back positive, on average, has slightly decreased to 3%, according to the report.
The number of patients hospitalized for COVID-19 has increased to 954. Of that number, 205 were listed as being in intensive care units and 99 are intubated, according to DPH.
Gov. Charlie Baker on Monday said the state is well into planning how to distribute coronavirus vaccines when they begin arriving in Massachusetts.
The state's public health system already has an existing infrastructure that allows it to process and distribute million of vaccines, including annual flu shots.
The vaccine will likely be targeted first at high-risk groups, which could include health care workers, long-term care workers, people with preexisting conditions and people in hard-hit communities, Baker said. The details are still being worked out.
"There's a lot of discussion about where the original focus of vaccine distribution should be," Baker said at his Monday coronavirus briefing. "I would say still hasn't been fully decided yet."
Baker also announced the launch of a public awareness campaign in several languages aimed at encouraging residents to remain vigilant against the coronavirus as the state battles a second surge.
