Chelmsford's Coronavirus Risk Level Rises To Moderate

CHELMSFORD, MA — The town's coronavirus risk level rose to moderate this week.

Based on the average daily cases per 100,000 residents, each city or town has been designated as a higher risk (red), moderate risk (yellow), or lower risk (green) community. Chelmsford now falls in the yellow zone with an average rate of 5.76 cases per 100,000, according to state data.

Since the state began counting cases of the coronavirus in March, 440 people in Chelmsford have tested positive for the virus out of 15,431 tests given here. In the past two weeks 36 people in Chelmsford tested positive.

Across the state, there were 510 new COVID-19 cases and 32 deaths reported Wednesday. There have been 9,242 deaths and 129,753 confirmed cases statewide since the pandemic reached the Bay State in March.

The latest town-by-town data showed the positive test rate over the last two weeks increased in 121 — or 34.5 percent — of the 351 communities in the state. The rate fell in 82 — or 23.4 percent — communities and held steady in the remaining 148.

Chelmsford's positivity rate is 1.83 percent. Statewide, the positive test rate was 1 percent, up from 0.8 percent in early September.

Health officials say positive 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. Three towns had positive test rates at or above 5 percent over the last two weeks: Lawrence, Monroe and Windsor.