The week ending May 13 was the eighth week of the latest coronavirus surge.
A spokesperson for the state’s Department of Public health said the omicron sub-variant BA.2.12.1 “does seem to be the cause of the increasing cases.”
The increasing number cases and the illness itself appear less severe than the delta variant that plagued the state from November through January.
After eight weeks of that surge, there were 185,673 new cases and 1,003 confirmed deaths, for a death percentage of 0.54%.
Those numbers would later rise to 679,114 new cases and 2,735 confirmed deaths at 13 weeks, which is a death percentage of 0.4%.
So far the latest surge is not coming close to those numbers.
After eight weeks of it there have been 115,740 new cases and 375 confirmed deaths, for a death percentage of 0.32%.
In the latest surge there are 38% fewer cases and 62% fewer deaths.
Level of transmission in The Sun Chronicle coverage area— medium in Bristol County; high in Norfolk County.
Number of new cases for the 10-community coverage area since May 5, 2022 — 489, an increase of 85, or 21%, over the 404 in the week ending May 5.
Percentage positive for the 10-community area — 7.38%, up 1.46 points from the 5.92% recorded on May 5.
Percentage vaccinated with two shots — 70.87%.
Percentage vaccinated with booster — 39.14%.
Number of people currently hospitalized at Sturdy Memorial — 12 with coronavirus.
Percentage hospitalized at Sturdy Memorial who are unvaccinated — 16.66% (coronavirus patients), 10 are vaccinated two are not vaccinated.
Number of deaths in The Sun Chronicle area since the week ending May 5 — No poll this week. There have been at least 374 deaths since the beginning of the pandemic in March of 2020.
That’s a death percentage of 0.94% of the 39,689 cases.
The current average age of death is 78.
Massachusetts’ level of transmission, according to the CDC:
Eleven counties, Barnstable, Berkshire, Dukes, Essex, Franklin, Middlesex, Nantucket, Norfolk, Plymouth, Suffolk and Worcester have high levels of the disease.
Three counties, Bristol, Hampden and Hampshire have medium levels of the disease.
None have low levels of the disease.
Percentage of positive cases in state —6.35%, up 1.24 points since May 5.
George W. Rhodes can be reached at 508-236-0432.
