The state is expected to officially open a mass vaccination center at Fenway Park on Monday, as it begins making doses available for people age 75 and older in a bid to protect some Massachusetts residents most at risk for contracting COVID-19.
The expanded vaccination effort comes after the state reported 3,957 new confirmed cases of the coronavirus and 87 new deaths Saturday.
The Department of Public Health reported that the death toll due to the disease was 14,241, with a total of 495,599 cases of the virus.
A reporting issue involving laboratory results led to lower than usual totals of molecular tests and new cases on Friday, the state said on its website. Those results were included in Saturday’s report.
Winter weather could potentially interfere with vaccine distribution. A storm forecast to begin Monday afternoon and continue into Tuesday could bring up to 6 inches of snow in Boston, with more expected in western parts of the state.
Dave McGillivray, who is helping to coordinate logistics for vaccination efforts at Fenway and Gillette Stadium, said Saturday that officials are monitoring the weather. They anticipate keeping vaccination centers open and are working on the proper way to reschedule anyone who cannot come in for a shot, he said.
“The intent is to be open,” said McGillivray, who also organizes the Boston Marathon.
Starting Wednesday, state officials allowed people age 75 and older to register for appointments at immunization centers across the state as part of its Phase 2 vaccination plan, which begins Monday.
This latest group of eligible people came after earlier vaccination efforts, which focused on groups including health workers, first responders, and state prison staff and inmates.
At Fenway, officials have a goal of vaccinating 500 people daily this week before increasing to 1,250 people per day, officials have said.
Smaller sites have also been opened, including one in Marion, where officials said they expected to receive 100 doses of the Moderna vaccine.
Marion officials said in a statement Saturday that the town is prioritizing residents by age, starting with the eldest, and will hold a clinic Friday to distribute vaccine to residents 85 and older.
But amid efforts to step up vaccinations, the state’s tally of COVID-19 infections grew to include 73 inmates who tested positive last week at the Norfolk County Sheriff’s Office facility in Dedham.
Sheriff Patrick McDermott, in a statement Saturday, said one inmate with COVID-19 has been hospitalized, while another has a high-grade fever. The remaining inmates are asymptomatic or have mild symptoms.
“Those units with positive cases are under quarantine and continuous monitoring by our medical staff, per DPH and CDC guidance,” he said.
McDermott said 105 inmates, or about 30 percent of the Dedham facility’s inmate population, have taken the vaccine.
Across the United States, more than 427,000 people have died because of the coronavirus as of Friday, the COVID Tracking Project reported.
Dr. Ashish Jha, the dean of Brown University’s School of Public Health, pointed to data released by the COVID Tracking Project that reported 3,503 additional deaths nationwide that day.
“Hard not to wonder how many of these deaths could have been prevented with an effective vaccine rollout,” Jha said on Twitter late Friday.
John Hilliard can be reached at john.hilliard@globe.com or on Signal at john_hilliard.70. Follow him on Bluesky at iamjohnhilliard.bsky.social.