MA Town-By-Town Coronavirus Stats: 66 High-Risk Communities

MASSACHUSETTS — The number of cities and towns designated high risk for the coronavirus plummeted in Thursday's town-by-town state data report, the latest in the dramatic decline of the virus over the last month. The report labeled 66 Massachusetts communities at high risk for the virus, more than 40 fewer than last week.

The seven-day average positive test rate for the state fell to 2.13 percent, the lowest level since early Nov. Statewide case counts, hospitalizations and deaths also all fell over the last week.

There were 1,803 new confirmed cases and 61 deaths Thursday.

The seven-day average of hospitalized patients was 1,141, down from 1,419 a week prior. There were 271 patients in intensive care.

Last week the town-by-town report labeled 110 communities at high risk for the virus. This week there were only 66 such communities; You can see the full list at the end of this article.

The positive test rate over the last two weeks fell in 264 — or 75.2 percent — of the 351 communities in the state. The rate rose in 56 — or 16.0 percent — of communities and held steady in the remaining 31. Two-week confirmed case counts rose in just 45 communities.

There were 30 average daily cases per 100,000 residents of the state over that period, down from 38.5 last week.

To date, there have been 534,827 cases and 15,373 confirmed deaths statewide since the pandemic began. Officials estimate that there were 38,666 active cases as of Thursday.

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Health officials say positive coronavirus test results need to stay below 5 percent for two weeks or longer and, preferably, be closer to 2 percent, for states to safely ease restrictions. The number of communities reporting rates above 5 percent fell to 62, down from 106 last week.

Just two towns, Leyden and Tolland, reported positive test rates above 15 percent. Over 100 reported test rates below 2 percent.

The state reported 100,002 new tests Thursday, bringing the total to 15.2 million.

The data includes coronavirus cases for all Massachusetts communities, except for those with populations under 50,000 and fewer than five cases. The department said the stipulation was designed to protect the privacy of patients in those towns and cities.

The state releases town-by-town testing data every Thursday, including the number of people tested, the testing rate, the positive test rate, cases and infection rates.

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How to use this map: Zoom in on the map below and click on a pin to see that community's coronavirus case data. You can also view the town-by-town coronavirus data in the spreadsheet we used to create this map.

The map does not include 1,488 of the state's cases because state health officials could not determine which communities the patients lived in.

Pin colors correspond to the state's risk designations. Red pins are high-risk, or red, communities. Yellow pins are medium risk, green pins low risk and grey pins at most 15 total cases.

High-risk communities: Abington, Acushnet, Ayer, Barnstable, Berkley, Blackstone, Bolton, Boxford, Brewster, Bridgewater, Brockton, Carver, Chatham, Chelsea, Chicopee, Clinton, Cohasset, Dighton, Douglas, Dracut, Fall River, Freetown, Gardner, Georgetown, Haverhill, Holyoke, Lakeville, Lancaster, Lawrence, Leominster, Littleton, Lowell, Ludlow, Lynn, Marion, Methuen, Middleborough, New Bedford, North Reading, Orleans, Oxford, Peabody, Plainville, Plymouth, Raynham, Revere, Rockland, Rutland, Saugus, Seekonk, Somerset, Southampton, Southbridge, Southwick, Springfield, Sterling, Sunderland, Swansea, Taunton, Templeton, Ware, West Bridgewater, Westminster, Westport, Weymouth and Whitman.