Massachusetts bar exam postponed until fall; No new date set

BOSTON (AP) — The Massachusetts bar exam has been postponed due to concerns about the spread of the coronavirus.

The Supreme Judicial Court and the Board of Bar Examiners announced Monday that the exam will not be administered as planned on July 28 and 29. The exam will instead be administered in the fall. The new dates for the exam have yet to be determined.

The SJC and the Board of Bar Examiners said if limits on large gatherings continue into the fall, alternative means for administering the exam will be devised.

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DEATHS

The number of people in Massachusetts who have died from COVID-19 stand at 48 since the start of the outbreak.

Public health officials said the number of residents who have so far tested positive for the disease has increased to more than 4,900.

More than 39,000 have been tested, and nearly 400 have been hospitalized. Updated numbers are expected Monday.

For most people, the virus causes mild or moderate symptoms, such as fever and cough that clear up in two to three weeks. For some, especially older adults and people with existing health problems, it can cause more severe illness, including pneumonia, or death.