Breakthrough Coronavirus Cases Up 44% In Massachusetts

MASSACHUSETTS — At least 468 Massachusetts residents who have been fully-vaccinated against the coronavirus have died, according to a report released Tuesday by the state Department of Public Health.

The report also showed a 44 percent increase in the number of fully-vaccinated people who have tested positive for COVID-19. There were 4,608 so-called breakthrough cases last week, up 44 percent from 3,192 the previous week. It was the second straight week reported breakthrough cases rose in Massachusetts.

To date, 58,807, or 1.2 percent, of fully-vaccinated Massachusetts residents have tested positive for coronavirus. The DPH data also shows that, in most cases, the vaccine protects against more serious bouts of COVID-19. Just 0.04% of the fully-vaccinated Massachusetts residents who got a breakthrough case needed to be hospitalized.