The number of Massachusetts cities and towns rated “high risk” for the spread of COVID fell further on Thursday, despite a slight increase in new infections last week.
There are now 19 communities at high risk for coronavirus transmission, according to the Department of Public Health.
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Last week, the number of communities at high risk was 28, continuing the sharp decline week after week since the peak of the second increase in January.
Here is the list by county:
Bristol County: Fall River, Freetown, New Bedford
Essex County: Haverhill, Lawrence, Lynn, Methuen, Peabody
Hampden County: Chicopee, Ludlow, Springfield
Hampshire County: Hadley
Norfolk County: Plainville
Plymouth County: West Bridgewater
Worcester County: Blackstone, Clinton, Sterling, Sutton
Barnstable, Berkshire, Dukes, Franklin, Middlesex, Nantucket and Suffolk counties had no towns or villages in the so-called red zone. Statistics show that the number of residents living in a high-risk community has dropped 32.5% this week.
Risk designations – which are colored, gray, green, yellow and red based on levels of infection – are determined using several new metrics for three population categories: communities with a population of less than 10,000; between 10,000 and 50,000; and greater than 50,000.
For communities with less than 10,000 residents, “gray” will be assigned if there are 10 cases in total or less; “Green” if there are up to 15 cases; “Yellow” if there are up to 25 cases; and “red” if there are more than 25 cases.
For communities with between 10,000 and 50,000 residents, “gray” will be assigned if there are 10 cases in total or less; “Green” if there are less than 10 average cases per 100,000 residents and more than 10 cases; “Yellow” if there are 10 or more cases per 100,000 residents or a positive test rate of 5% or more; and “red” if there are 10 or more cases per 100,000 residents and a positive test rate of 5% or more.
And for communities with more than 50,000 residents, “gray” will be assigned if there are 15 cases in total or less; “Green” if there are less than 10 average cases per 100,000 residents and more than 15 cases; “Yellow” if there are 10 or more cases per 100,000 residents or a positive test rate of 4% or more; and “red” if there are 10 or more cases per 100,000 residents and a positive test rate of 4% or more.
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