Data: Coronavirus Hospitalizations At Cape Cod Healthcare

BARNSTABLE, MA — One of the key metrics state health officials use to judge the severity of the new coronavirus pandemic is the total number of hospitalizations. The state's overall total has dropped over the last week, a positive sign that Massachusetts is flattening the curve.

On Monday, total hospitalizations hit 3,102, the lowest point since April 12, below the highest daily total of 3,965 measured on April 21.

At Cape Cod Healthcare hospitals, the picture is similar. Cape Cod and Falmouth hospital hit a peak of 46 combined hospitalizations on April 21. The total was down to 26 on Monday — and that includes patients in intensive care at both facilities — but the majority of those drops in hospitalization have occurred at Falmouth Hospital.

As of Monday, there were 21 COVID-19 patients at Cape Cod Hospital and just 5 at Falmouth Hospital. Falmouth Hospital has seen steady declines, while Cape Cod Hospital numbers have varied more from day-to-day.

Here's a chart showing all Cape Cod Healthcare hospitalizations (the line at top), plus the total for each hospital. The chart only goes back to April 20 because that's when the state Department of Public Health began releasing data on individual hospitals.

The concept of "flattening the curve" refers to avoiding a spike in hospitalizations that overwhelm medical facilities.

Gov. Charlie Baker has said that the hospitalization rate is the data point state officials "watch most closely" when making a determination about reopening parts of the economy. Baker on Monday began talking about phases to reopening the state, but hasn't given exact details yet.

He has set a tentative date of May 18 the reopening to begin, but it's unclear how firm that is.