Mass. reports 571 new coronavirus cases, 27 new deaths as state releases weekend cases following systems upgrade

A COVID-19 test site.David L. Ryan/Globe Staff

Massachusetts had 27 new deaths due to COVID-19 and 571 new cases of the virus, the state reported Monday, as officials resumed the flow of the state’s coronavirus dashboard Monday following an upgrade to its laboratory reporting system over the weekend.

The Department of Public Health reported that the state’s confirmed death toll due to the coronavirus rose to 8,717 and the total number of confirmed cases climbed to 116,421.

The case and death numbers are higher than usual because the state is relaying metrics reported from 5 p.m. Friday through 8 a.m. Monday, officials said.

A total of 37,815 new individuals were tested. The seven-day positivity rate, a key metric tracked by state officials, remained low at 1.1 percent.

Today’s tally brought the total number of individuals tested by the state to 1,581,978. More than 2 million coronavirus tests have been administered since the beginning of the pandemic. Governor Charlie Baker said last week that testing numbers have gone up consistently since the spring and early summer.

According to the Department of Public Health, 795 new individuals were given the coronavirus antibody test, for a total of 109,138.

Three of the four key metrics the state is monitoring for the reopening dropped or stayed stable in Monday’s report, while one ticked up.

The seven-day weighted average of positive coronavirus tests was at 1.1 percent Sunday for the third consecutive day, and is the lowest number observed since the surge.

The three-day average of hospitalized coronavirus patients also reached a new low, at 313, as of Sunday. That’s down from 317 the day before.

The number of hospitals utilizing surge capacity dropped from four to one on Sunday. However, the three-day average of deaths from confirmed cases of the coronavirus ticked up from 14 on Thursday to 15 on Friday; the lowest that number has been is 11.

On Saturday, the state moved its reporting system to the Amazon Web Services platform, which is intended to greatly increase the state’s public health data collection capacity. The change may have lowered reported numbers of new deaths, cases, and tests related to the coronavirus.

With fall semesters gearing up, multiple colleges in the area have also been reporting school-specific numbers as some institutions welcome students back on campus.

At Boston University, which was among the first to have students move back into the dorms this month, 25 people have tested positive since July 27, and 19 are currently in isolation. BU has issued nearly 15,000 tests, leading to a campus positivity rate of 0.17 percent, according to the campus dashboard.

Students are tested as soon as they arrive on campus, said BU spokesman Colin Riley in an e-mail.

“We’re getting test results back the next day and any residential student with a positive test is immediately relocated to a one-bedroom unit with a bathroom in a student residence on the Fenway campus for isolation and recovery,” Riley said.

Boston College has reported three total positive cases, one of which is an undergraduate student who is currently in isolation, according to BC’s COVID-19 dashboard. The school has issued 7,681 tests since mid-August, which means the campus has seen about a 0.04 percent positivity rate.

BC also requires testing for all students, faculty, and staff when they return to campus, said college spokesman Jack Dunn.

“One of the cases involved a staff member; one a grad student; and one an undergraduate,” Dunn said. “All were immediately isolated and we conducted contact tracing as well in accordance with our protocol.”

Northeastern University has seen two positive cases out of 7,168 tests, or about a 0.03 percent positivity rate, since mid-August, according to the school’s dashboard.