Tewksbury Reports Over 500 Active Coronavirus Cases, Remains Red

TEWKSBURY, MA — Tewksbury remained a high-risk community in the latest state update Thursday, with over 500 active cases according to town data.

The town added 363 cases over the last two weeks and reported a 7.1 percent positive test rate, down from 7.3 last week.

According to the latest town data, there are 543 active confirmed cases and 16 probable cases, as of Thursday. The vast majority are community cases, but 40 confirmed cases are at the state hospital and 80 confirmed and probable cases are in the "unknown" category.

The latest cases bring the town to 1,713 total cases, per town data. Ninety-seven residents have died.

More than half of Massachusetts cities and towns were designated high risk by the Massachusetts Department of Health Thursday, for a second consecutive weekly community-level coronavirus data report.

The high-risk list grew by just one community, but positive test rates continued to rise in almost half of the state.

The state reported 7,424 confirmed cases and 46 deaths in a two-day report Saturday; no report was published Friday, which was Christmas Day.

>>Baker Lowers MA Business Capacity Limits Amid Coronavirus Surge

Amid concerns of another holiday spike in coronavirus cases, and hopes that the federal relief bill could provide some urgent help to the state's struggling businesses, Gov. Charlie Baker on Tuesday announced additional statewide business and gathering restrictions beginning Saturday.

Capacity limits were lowered to 25 percent for all businesses. Indoor gathering limits were lowered to 10 people and outdoor limits to lowered to 25 people. The restrictions will be in place for at least two weeks.

Christopher Huffaker can be reached at 412-265-8353 or chris.huffaker@patch.com.