An illustration of the new coronavirus that causes the disease COVID-19. Image courtesy of the Centers for Disease Control.

Another 262 cases of COVID-19 were confirmed by the Department of Public Health on Thursday as hospitalizations inched up but the state’s seven-day average positive test rate declined to its lowest point yet.

In addition to the 262 new cases, DPH also announced the recent COVID-19 deaths of 12 people. Since the virus was first confirmed in Massachusetts on Feb. 1, at least 115,310 people have become infected. Since the first COVID-19 death was reported March 20, at least 8,657 people have died, or 8,888 accounting for people who died with probable cases of COVID-19.

The 262 new cases confirmed Thursday came from 21,831 tests, meaning 1.20 percent of all tests came back positive. The seven-day average of the positive test rate dipped back to its all-time low of 1.30 percent as of Thursday, DPH said.

Meanwhile, the number of people hospitalized with the virus rose by 14 to 379 as of midday Thursday.

The state’s weekly map of COVID-19 hot spots also saw changes Wednesday. Hull, Holyoke and Granby came off the list of cities and towns with more than 8 cases per 100,000 residents, while South Hadley and Brockton were added.