MA Coronavirus: Investigations into Holyoke Veterans' Home

MASSACHUSETTS — State health officials on Friday reported another 2,033 people tested positive for the new coronavirus, bringing the total to more than 20,000 cases. There have been 599 deaths since the outbreak started. There were 7,414 new tests reported for a total of 102,372 tests.

"We are about to have a very difficult couple of weeks here in Massachusetts, and it could be three weeks and it could be four depending upon how this whole thing plays out," Gov. Charlie Baker said Friday.

The majority of the COVID-19 cases are in Suffolk, Middlesex, then Essex counties.

Here's the latest news on the coronavirus in Massachusetts:

• Baker advised all residents wear masks at the grocery store, pharmacy and other essential public places during the coronavirus crisis. He also signed a bill suspending MCAS tests as a requirement for graduation for the 2019-2020 school year. See what else he said.

• Attorney General Maura Healey and the U.S. Attorney Andrew Lelling in Boston announced two separate investigations into what happened at the state-run Holyoke Soldiers' Home. Feds To Probe Holyoke Soldiers' Home After Coronavirus Deaths.

• Middlesex County Jail and House of Correction has eight inmates who tested positive for the coronavirus. On Thursday, the sheriff's office reported 21 employees in the jail tested positive for the virus.

• On Friday, MBTA General Manager Steve Poftak announced masks were handed out to more than 6,000 T employees after 53 tested positive for COVID-19. Poftak is also stressing that people avoid using the MBTA if at all possible. And the union identified the first MBTA employee to die of the virus after working there for 22 years.

• To help children get in a workout while home from school, Massachusetts State Troopers will begin hosting virtual fitness classes April 13, via Facebook.

• At at time when a little good news goes a long way, Newton-Wellesley Hospital is celebrating the recovery of 57 people who have been discharged from the hospital after getting treatment for COVID-19.

• Alicia Botticelli-Tarasuk needed to go grocery shopping and didn't have a face mask. So she improvised and it made a few shoppers, ahem, howl, in delight: WATCH.