COVID-19 deaths top 3,500; Contact tracing program ramps up

BOSTON (AP) — The number of COVID-19-related deaths in Massachusetts topped 3,500 on Thursday as the state works to reign in the spread of the coronavirus.

The state reported 157 new deaths -- a drop from the 252 reported on Wednesday, the state’s highest single day death tally. The new tally brought to 3,562 the total number of COVID-19-related deaths recorded in Massachusetts since the start of the pandemic.

The number of deaths that occurred at long-term care facilities topped 2,100, accounting for more than half of all deaths.

The state also reported more than 1,900 new cases of the coronavirus for a total of more than 62,200 confirmed cases since the pandemic’s start.

More than 1,100 COVID-19 patients are currently in intensive care units.

The state also recorded another small decline in the number of people currently hospitalized with COVID-19 -- down to about 3,800. Gov. Charlie Baker has said a significant decline in the hospitalization number is key to reopening the state’s economy, now planned to begin May 18.

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CONTACT TRACING

A contact tracing initiative launched by Massachusetts to help slow the spread of the coronavirus has already reached out to about 5,000 individuals, Gov. Charlie Baker said at a press conference Thursday.

The state has hired about 1,000 workers to make the contacts. The goal of the program is to call individuals who are confirmed to have COVID-19 and then reach out to individuals with whom they have had recent close contact.

At first public health officials were expecting that the list of contacts would average about 10. Instead, the average number of contacts is closer to two — a tribute to the effort by the state’s residents to maintain social distancing, Baker said.

The calls, which also offer help in...