Medford's Positive Coronavirus Rate Falls: Latest Numbers

MEDFORD, MA — More than two-thirds of Massachusetts communities, including Medford, had falling or steady positive coronavirus test rates over the last two weeks, according to new town-by-town data released by the state Wednesday.

The latest data showed the positive test rate over the last two weeks increased in 112— or 31.2 percent — of the 351 communities in the state. The rate fell in 133, or 38 percent, communities and held steady in the remaining 106.

Medford's case count over the last 14 days fell to 40, bringing the total number of cases since the start of the pandemic to 1,201. The city has conducted 10,125 tests over the past two weeks, 49 of which came back positive. There have been 36,287 tests conducted overall in Medford.

The city's percent positive rate over the last two weeks fell to 0.48 percent. 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. Four towns remained above that 5 percent positive threshold.

The state labeled Medford a "yellow" community, a designation given to cities and towns that average 4-8 cases per 100,000 people daily.

View the state's interactive COVID-19 map.