LAWRENCE, MASS. (WHDH) - Gov. Charlie Baker on Tuesday announced a “very significant reduction” in COVID-19 hospitalizations and new positive coronavirus tests, saying that Massachusetts “continues to trend in the right direction” with respect to key health metrics just as Phase 2 of the state’s reopening plan gets underway.
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“As we begin Phase 2 here in Massachusetts, which started yesterday, the public health data continues to trend in the right direction,” Baker said during a news conference that followed a tour of Lawrence’s New Balance factory, which has produced more than 1 million face masks since the start of the pandemic.
As of Monday, more than 650,000 coronavirus tests have been administered across the Commonwealth, making Massachusetts one of the top testers per capita in the world, according to the Baker.
The average positive test rate in the state has plummeted to 4.9 percent over the course of the last month.
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“That is obviously a very significant reduction, over 60 percent reduction in the number of positive tests,” Baker said.
The number of patients who remain hospitalized with COVID-19 complications has also fallen to 1,462.
“That is obviously down dramatically, over 50 percent since the middle of April,” Baker said. “We continue to anticipate and hope that we see those positive trends as we continue to move forward in Phase 2.”
Baker noted that the state is continuing to work to expand its contact tracing program. He also said that he signed an act into law on Sunday that will increase the amount of statewide, publicly available data related to the pandemic.
The new law requires the Department of Public Health to compile, collect and issue daily online reports on the number of people tested for COVID-19, positive cases, hospitalizations and deaths along with information about gender, race, ethnicity, occupation, disability, age and primary language.
The state already releases daily reports that include much of that information but the new law now requires that the reports include demographic information from municipalities and counties with more than 25 positive cases, elder care facilities, as well as state and county correctional facilities.
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Restaurants, retail stores, childcare programs, day camps and hotels started reopening on Monday as part of Phase 2 of the state’s four-phase plan to a “new normal.”
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