3,192 Breakthrough COVID-19 Cases Recorded In Massachusetts Over 1 Week; 32 Fully Vaccinated Dead

A growing number of fully vaccinated individuals are testing positive for COVID-19 or dying of the virus in Massachusetts over the past week, according to state data.

Between Oct. 23 and Oct. 30, health officials in Massachusetts recorded 3,192 breakthrough COVID-19 infections. The number represents 1.1% of the state’s fully vaccinated population, data released by the Massachusetts Department of Public Health on Tuesday showed.

Over the same period, the state also reported 106 additional breakthrough hospitalizations and 32 breakthrough COVID-19 deaths. Both figures represent 0.04% and 0.009% of all fully vaccinated individuals in the state, respectively.

Since vaccination began in Massachusetts on Dec. 14, 2020, the state has recorded a total of 54,199 infections, 1,793 total hospitalizations and 438 COVID-19 deaths among the fully vaccinated.

On Wednesday, the state confirmed 1,290 new cases and 15 new deaths. The new figures push the state’s total number of confirmed cases among the unvaccinated and vaccinated to 799,981 and the death toll to 18,648.

Health officials also reported 524 new hospitalizations with COVID-19 in the past day, with 141 patients admitted to intensive care units (ICU) and 71 remain intubated.

Massachusetts has a rolling seven-day average positivity rate of 1.81%, according to the health department’s coronavirus dashboard.

The figures come as Massachusetts works to prepare new vaccination sites where children between the ages of 5 to 11 could receive a shot of Pfizer’s pediatric COVID-19 vaccine.

“With final approval from the federal government coming last night, some sites, including many pediatricians’ offices and pharmacies, have begun administering vaccines,” a spokesperson for the state’s Executive Office of Health and Human Services told Boston.com.

“Hundreds of additional sites will be coming online beginning tomorrow and the Administration will be updating Mass.Gov and the VaxFinder tool as more providers get up and running.”

Massachusetts is one of several U.S. states with the most vaccinated residents. As of Wednesday, the state has fully vaccinated 4,811,369 individuals or 70.23% of the state’s population, according to data from Johns Hopkins University.