NORTHAMPTON — The Massachusetts Department of Public Health reported 1,590 new COVID-19 cases and 169 new deaths on Sunday, bringing the total number of confirmed cases statewide to 54,938 and deaths to 2,899.
More than half of all reported deaths were residents in long-term care facilities, and the average age of those who have died from the virus is 82, according to the DPH.
In Hampshire County, a total of 24 people have died from COVID-19 and there are 427 confirmed cases as of Sunday. Hampden County, where there are a total of 3,295 confirmed cases, has recorded 327 deaths from the virus.
The deaths of three more veterans at the Holyoke Soldiers’ Home were reported Sunday. Two of them tested positive for COVID-19 and one tested negative, the Executive Office of Health and Human Services reported. In total, 76 residents have died since March, 66 of whom tested positive for COVID-19.
The DPH also reported that 9,255 COVID-19 tests were performed Sunday, bringing to 236,100 the number of tests done statewide since the start of the pandemic.
In total, 364 people have tested positive for COVID-19 at Cooley Dickinson, the hospital reported on Sunday. Currently, eight people are hospitalized with the respiratory illness at Cooley, and 68 cases are under investigation.
Just over 1,000 people have tested positive for COVID-19 through Baystate Health, and Baystate Medical Center in Springfield is treating 119 confirmed cases, a hospital spokesperson said Sunday. Currently, around 19 percent of tests come back positive, and hospital officials expect that percentage to decrease as testing continues to expand.
“Expect the number of tests to continue to climb,” a statement from Baystate Health reads. “Expanded testing allows us to identify more cases in the community and take steps to limit transmission to further contain the pandemic regionally.”
Greta Jochem can be reached at gjochem@gazettenet.com.