Amid Delta-fueled COVID-19 uptick, Charlie Baker says he isn’t planning to reissue mask mandate - Boston.com

As local jurisdictions across the country — and in Massachusetts — ask residents to resume mask wearing in indoor public places regardless of their vaccination status in response to the national increase in COVID-19 cases fueled by the more contagious Delta variant, Gov.

After averaging fewer than 70 new COVID-19 cases a day in June, Massachusetts reported 457 new confirmed infections Wednesday and is averaging 244 new cases a day.

According to data published Thursday by Axios, the state has seen the fifth-biggest percentage increase in cases in the country over the past week.

Still, as Baker noted Thursday, hospitalizations, which have climbed slightly since early July, remain very low, compared to other states, as well as the levels at the height of the pandemic in Massachusetts.

“In Massachusetts, there are states that are running COVID case counts that are 30 and 40 times higher than they are here in Massachusetts — same with respect to hospitalizations,” Baker said.

Baker noted that Massachusetts is only second to Vermont for the highest vaccination rate in the country and “a mile” ahead of other big states.