Mass. reports 194 total breakthrough COVID-19 deaths, or 0.004 percent of all fully vaccinated people

Kathleen Becker, RN with New Health prepares a COVID-19 vaccine at the Warren Prescott School in Charlestown. NEW Health Back-to-School COVID Vaccine Clinics is taking part in a city-wide effort to prepare students and their families for the new school year.David L. Ryan/Globe Staff

In Massachusetts, 194 people who had been fully vaccinated against COVID-19 have died from the virus, the Department of Public Health reported Tuesday. The deaths represent a tiny fraction of all vaccinated people and emphasize the protection the vaccines provide against severe illness and death.

The deaths accounted for 0.004 percent of the 4,549,497 people in Massachusetts who were fully vaccinated, the department said in its weekly update on breakthrough COVID-19 metrics, which included data reported through Saturday.

The number marks an increase of 32 deaths from last week, when the state reported that 162 fully vaccinated people had died as a result of the virus as of Sept. 4.

The department on Tuesday also said there had been 27,777 total breakthrough cases among fully vaccinated people in Massachusetts, or 0.61 percent of all fully vaccinated people. That marks an increase of 3,919 cases among fully vaccinated people from the previous week.

The department also reported 823 hospitalizations, representing 0.02 percent of all fully vaccinated people.

Massachusetts is a national leader in vaccinations, with extremely high percentages of people vaccinated among the oldest age groups.

State officials and public health experts have repeatedly stressed that vaccination greatly reduces hospitalization, severe illness, and death as a result of COVID-19.

Amanda Kaufman of the Globe staff contributed.