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UMass Memorial Health on Tuesday accepted its first patient into the new telehealth program, Hospital at Home, which allows patients to stay at home while receiving hospital-level services.

Along with virtual vital-sign monitoring and visits from doctors, patients can have medications and therapy delivered to their homes. 

A little helper played a big role in a recent happy moment inside the maternity ward at University of Massachusetts Memorial Health.

Photos and videos from the hospital show newborn Maverick wore a onesie with the special question from father Jonathan Mastalerz printed across the front and back. 

UMass Memorial Health told staff on Wednesday it is converting the West 1 unit at the UMass Memorial Medical Center - Memorial Campus in Worcester to an all-COVID unit, after the number of admitted patients quadrupled over the course of a week, according to a staff memo circulated on Wednesday.

More than 5,000 breakthrough COVID infections have been reported in Massachusetts, according to the latest Department of Public Health data. But the rate of fully vaccinated people ending up in the hospital remains low.

Dr. Robert Finberg, of UMass Medical School, answers questions on the booster timeline and vaccines and precautions as students head to campus.

As COVID-19 cases rise and the delta variant makes its way into the state, UMass Memorial Medical Center on Thursday unveiled a new weapon in the fight against the pandemic: monoclonal antibody treatment.

“We hope as few patients as possible will need this facility, but if they do, we will be ready,” said Dr. Michael Gustafson, president of UMass Memorial Medical Center, at the unveiling of the treatment trailer, which is parked at the Hahnemann campus. 

Through the COVID-19 pandemic, Worcester Health Commissioner Dr. Matilde “Mattie” Castiel has been out in communities of color, seeing a disproportionate effect from the virus.

The commissioner has been trying to get the vaccine out to residents, but the toll of the pandemic is still visible as some remain hesitant to inoculation.

UMass Memorial Health — HealthAlliance-Clinton Hospital recently invested $717,000 to fund community-based initiatives aimed at tackling the urgent health challenges of food insecurity, substance abuse and workforce development, according to a press release from the hospital.

To date, the hospital has committed more than $820,000 in resources, including emergency COVID-19 response funding, according to the hospital.

As some neighboring communities soar ahead of the state average, Marlborough and Hudson are still keeping pace in the ongoing push to vaccinate as many residents as possible against COVID-19, state data shows.

As of June 29, Hudson, Marlborough, Grafton and Shrewsbury all had similar rates, with 69 percent, 67 percent, 66 percent and 71 percent of residents, respectively, being fully vaccinated. In Northborough, Southborough and Westborough the rates were, in order, 87 percent, 84 percent and 87 percent.