Massachusetts reports 91 new coronavirus cases

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Jonathan Wiggs/Boston Globe/Pool

Massachusetts Gov. Charlie Baker.

By Frankie Rowley, Content Managing Editor

Massachusetts reported 91 new coronavirus cases Saturday, a rise from the 71 cases reported Friday. The death toll rose by 6.

Cases have fallen below 100 each day in the past week, and have not topped the 200 mark since June 13— marks the state had never hit during the course of the pandemic. Even at their lowest point last summer, cases were still topping more than 100 each day. 

The state reports two COVID-19 positivity rates—one with higher education testing and one without. On Saturday, the seven-day test positivity rate with higher education testing removed sat at 0.5 percent—the lowest mark the state has reported since it began tracking the metric. This time last week, it sat at 0.6 percent. The rate that includes higher education sits at 0.4 percent. 

The state reported 107 hospitalizations Saturday, down from the 136 reported this time last week; hospitalizations, like case numbers, have also fallen to lows not seen since last August.

On Saturday, Massachusetts reported 17,819 new vaccinations, bringing the state’s total to 8,425,776. More than 58 percent of the state’s population is now fully inoculated against COVID-19—meaning they have received both doses of the vaccines manufactured by Moderna or Pfizer-BioNTech, or one dose of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine. 

Emerson’s latest dashboard update reported no positive COVID-19 tests out of the 55 administered on Thursday.