HARTFORD (AP) — Connecticut officials on Saturday reported 27 COVID-19-related deaths, more than double the previous day’s total, as the state continues to see the number of cases rise.

An additional 305 people were diagnosed since Friday, bringing the total cases to 44,994, figures released by Gov. Ned Lamont’s office showed.

In all, the state has seen 4,186 coronavirus-related deaths.

By Saturday, 342,338 people had been tested for the virus, nearly 14,000 more than the day before.

The number of hospitalizations, meanwhile, dropped by 11 to 233.

Fairfield County continued to lead the state in the number of COVID deaths, with 1,051 confirmed and 294 listed as probable. Hartford County remained close behind with a combined total of 1,321 deaths, even though the region has had about 5,000 fewer confirmed and probable cases.

New London County saw 47 new confirmed COVID-19 cases between Friday and Saturday afternoon, bringing the overall total so far to 1,135. The largest increase in new cases, 45, was reported in Montville, the reason for which was not immediately clear. One more death in that time brought the county's overall total coronavirus-related deaths to 74. Seven people were hospitalized with the disease in the county, the same number as the day before.

High temperatures and sunny skies brought many people to the state parks, which are operating with reduced capacity limits to help prevent the spread of the coronavirus. Harkness Memorial State Park in Waterford and Rocky Neck State Park in East Lyme were among the sites that shut down Saturday when they reached capacity.