Newton Coronavirus Positive Rate Declines As Infected Hits 3K

NEWTON, MA — Although the number of people testing positive for the coronavirus is slowing after the holiday season surge, the number of total cases has passed the 3,000 mark this week and the death toll in the city rose to 182. They are somber milestones amid what many are hopeful signals a turning point in the pandemic.

In the past week 182 more Newton residents tested positive, bringing the number of cases since the beginning of the pandemic to 3,099.

During the two-week State tracking period that ended Jan. 23, Newton had 387 new positive cases compared with 485 during the previous reporting period. The incidence rate dropped to 30.1 cases per 100,000 people, down from 37.8 reported during the previous period, and 37.1 during the two weeks prior to that.

Newton also continued to see an improvement in positivity rate.

Of the 20,058 tests administered to Newton residents over the past two-week reporting period, 2.33 percent came back positive. It was 2.75 percent last week, and 2.96 percent during the previous reporting period.

"I’m relieved our cases are diminishing," said Newton Mayor Ruthanne Fuller.

>>MA Town-By-Town Coronavirus Stats: High-Risk List Falls Below 200

Dozens of cities and towns —including Boston — that were removed from the high-risk category Thursday, amid a multi-week decline in coronavirus rates across the state.

Newton has been in the moderate-risk category for the spread of the virus, along with Brookline, Needham, Watertown, Wellesley and Weston, for weeks. Waltham, which had been in the high risk, or red, category for weeks stays in that category.

The seven-day average positive test rate for the state fell to 4.44 percent, down a percentage point over the last week. Statewide case counts, hospitalizations and deaths also all fell over the last week, although all measures remained far above the lows over the summer.

Two more people in Newton died related to the coronavirus, bringing the total deaths since March to 182. Fuller called it a "startling number of people lost with untold waves of grief rippling through Newton and beyond."

Because of limited state vaccine doses, the State told Newton that local health departments would not be allocated enough vaccine for large public clinics, Fuller said.

"Our Health and Human Services staff is experienced and prepared to give vaccines in a number of different ways," she said, but did not outline what those might look like.

Previously: Newton Coronavirus Cases Near 3,000

Jenna Fisher is a news reporter for Patch. Got a tip? She can be reached at Jenna.Fisher@patch.com or by calling 617-942-0474. Follow her on Twitter and Instagram (@ReporterJenna). Have a something you'd like posted on the Patch? Here's how.