Massachusetts public health officials confirmed on Friday the first death from the coronavirus in the commonwealth, while the number of cases of the viral respiratory infection in the state has climbed above 300.

“A man in his 80s from Suffolk County is the first person in Massachusetts to die from COVID-19 related illness,” the agency said in a statement. “The man had been hospitalized and had pre-existing health conditions that put him at higher risk for COVID-19.”

As of Friday afternoon, 3,132 Massachusetts residents have been tested for disease. Of that number, 328 people have received positive diagnoses, according to DPH. Nearly 120 of the cases are in Middlesex County, the highest number in the state, and 72 are in Suffolk County. Forty-three of the patients in the commonwealth have been hospitalized.

There have been more than 15,000 cases of the virus nationally and 201 deaths, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The World Health Organization declared the outbreak a pandemic earlier this month.

Gov. Charlie Baker issued several emergency orders on Sunday, including the cancelation of public and private school programming through April 6. He also restricted restaurants and bars from serving patrons on site. The National Guard has been activated in Massachusetts as well to provide additional resources during the crisis.

“I extend my heartfelt sympathies to the family and friends who lost their loved one,” Baker said in DPH’s statement. "We are living in uncertain and challenging times, and our administration is bringing every available resource to bear in the fight against this disease.”

Elderly individuals and people with preexisting medical conditions are most at risk of becoming severely illness if they contract the virus. A rising number of young Americans have been hospitalized due to the disease in the past two months, though.

No vaccine or medical treatment currently exists for COVID-19. The CDC and other authorities have recommended preventative measures, including washing hands often with soap and warm water, covering coughs and sneezes and staying home if sick.

Officials have also urged the public to avoid crowds, stay six feet away from others, not shake hands or hug and call or chat online with loved ones rather than meet face to face.

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