Stoneham Coronavirus Threat Falls In Latest State Report

STONEHAM, MA — Stoneham residents and visitors have a "lower" risk of contracting the coronavirus compared to other communities, according to data released by the Massachusetts Department of Public Health this week.

The percentage of positive test results for Stoneham residents over the past 14 days fell to 1.01 percent. The number of new cases was also lower at 5.

The state labeled Stoneham a "green" community, meaning it is averaging fewer than four cases per 100,000 people daily. Stoneham's case count since the start of the pandemic is 415. The town has conducted 994 tests over the past two weeks, 10 of which came back positive.

More than three-quarters of Massachusetts communities had falling or steady positive test rates over the last two weeks, according to the latest town-by-town data released by the state Wednesday. Just four towns remain above the 5 percent positive threshold.

Health officials have said 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.

View the state's interactive COVID-19 map.