By JACQUELYN VOGHEL
and BERA DUNAU
NORTHAMPTON — The Massachusetts Department of Public Health reported 1,745 new cases of confirmed COVID-19 infections on Tuesday and 221 new deaths, bringing the statewide total to 42,944 cases statewide and 2,182 deaths.
It was the most deaths reported in a single day since the outbreak in Massachusetts began, and the first time the state has recorded more than 200 in a day.
More than half the deaths — 1,205 — have been reported in long-term care centers, such as nursing homes. The average age of people who have died of confirmed COVID-19 is 82, officials said.
Overall, 9% of confirmed cases in Massachusetts have resulted in hospitalization.
The state has reported 345 cases and 14 deaths in Hampshire County, 196 cases and 30 deaths in Franklin County, and 2,678 cases and 271 deaths in Hampden County.
Also Wednesday, Southampton town officials reported a second death related to COVID-19 in that town, a 70-year-old man who died Tuesday.
“It’s a very sad situation,” said Town Administrator Ed Gibson. “All of our thoughts and prayers go out to this person’s family and friends.”
A 69-year-old Southampton man had died of COVID-19 on April 9, the town reported earlier.
Cooley Dickinson Hospital reported Wednesday that it is treating 11 inpatients with confirmed COVID-19 infection, three of whom are in the intensive care unit.
An additional 75 outpatients are under investigation for COVID-19 infection. To date, the hospital has had 293 people test positive.
Baystate Health is treating 144 inpatients for confirmed COVID-19 infection across all of its hospitals, including 17 patients in critical care units. Baystate Medical Center in Springfield is caring for 130 of the COVID-19 patients. Eighteen inpatients are under investigation for COVID-19 infection overall.
Baystate has tested 4,198 people to date, with 883 tests coming back positive. 3,257 negative and 58 pending results.
To date, 70% of COVID-19 patients seen by Baystate Health have been discharged or never required hospitalization.
Baystate remains at a plateau position on the epidemic curve model, according to spokeswoman Shelly Hazlett, and expects that recent expanded testing “will allow us to identify more cases in the community and take steps to limit transmission to further contain the pandemic regionally.”
Jacquelyn Voghel can be reached at jvoghel@gazettenet.com.