MA Sees Highest COVID-19 Case Count In 9 Months As Virus Rebounds

MASSACHUSETTS — State health officials on Wednesday reported the highest daily COVID-19 case count since February, a concerning trend as sinking temperatures and approaching holidays mean more groups of people spending time indoors.

The Department of Public Health said there were 2,650 new coronavirus cases, the most since 3,004 cases were reported on Feb. 7. At that point, most people weren't vaccinated; now, most adults and many children are.

While the vaccines have proven effective against serious illness and death, their efficacy in protecting against milder cases is thought by some experts to be beginning to wane. More than 64,000 breakthrough cases — infections among those fully vaccinated — have been reported in Massachusetts. While a very small percentage of those cases have resulted in hospitalizations and even fewer still in death, breakthrough cases are making up roughly half of the overall new COVID-19 cases reported in recent weeks.

Vaccinations are still the best defense against the virus — the 64,000 breakthrough cases represent just 1.3 percent of the state's vaccinated population.

More than 4.8 million Massachusetts residents have been fully vaccinated, a number that will rise as the vaccine rollout for children ages 5-11 continues.

Booster shots are now being recommended. The Food and Drug Administration could grant Pfizer emergency use authorization on its booster shot for all adults as soon as Thursday. To date, more than 800,000 people have received booster shots in Massachusetts.

Other coronavirus metrics have been increasing along with total case counts. The average positive test rate is at 2.84 percent, there are 642 COVID-19 hospitalizations, and more than 10 people a day on average are dying due to the virus. The average age of death was 76.