Massachusetts reports 7,120 new coronavirus cases, hospitalizations keep dropping

State health officials on Tuesday reported 7,120 new coronavirus cases, as infection rates and COVID-19 hospitalizations keep dropping.

Both cases and hospitalizations have been lower recently as the extraordinarily contagious omicron variant slows in the Bay State.

The 7,120 new cases reported on Tuesday was a 60% plunge from the 17,802 daily cases reported two Tuesdays ago.

The state’s positive test average has been declining, too. It now stands at 11.40% after peaking at 23% in early January. The daily positive test rate for Tuesday’s report was 9.81%.

The state reported 145 new COVID deaths, bringing Massachusetts’ total recorded death toll to 21,669. The 145 deaths are from Saturday through Monday.

The seven-day average of deaths is now 50, which has been increasing in recent weeks. The peak daily death average during last winter’s surge was 77 deaths.

There are now 2,688 COVID patients in the state, a daily decline of 296 patients. Hospitalizations had been surging for several weeks as cases hit record highs, but hospitalizations are now on a downward trend.

Of hospitalized COVID patients statewide, 49.8% of the patients were reported as being hospitalized due to COVID, and 50.2% of the patients were reported as testing positive for COVID while hospitalized for other reasons.