8 cities, towns land on highest-risk list
Eight cities and towns are in the state’s highest-risk category for the coronavirus this week, while the number of moderate-risk communities jumped by 60% to 48, according to state data.
Chelsea, Everett, Framingham, Lawrence, Lynn, Revere, Westhampton and Winthrop are all shaded red this week under the state’s color-coded risk assessment system, meaning they reported a daily average of eight or more COVID-19 cases per 100,000 residents over the two-week period ending Aug. 29. Westhampton was a new addition this week, while Brockton and Sutton dropped out of the highest-risk category.
The number of moderaterisk communities — those with four to eight cases per 100,000 residents — climbed to 48 this week from 30 last week, according to weekly data from the state Department of Public Health.
Low-risk communities — those with an incidence rate less than four — numbered 76 this week, down from more than 80 last week.
Massachusetts health officials on Wednesday also reported 22 new coronavirus deaths and 288 new cases as the average positive test rate stayed at a low level of 1%.
The 22 new coronavirus deaths bring the state’s COVID-19 death toll to 9,060, the state Department of Public Health announced.
The state has logged 121,131 cases of the highly contagious disease, an increase of 288 confirmed cases and five probable cases since Tuesday. Of the 121,131 total cases, at least 103,920 people have recovered.
Wednesday’s dashboard included updated data that uses a new COVID-19 national case definition recently endorsed by the CDC. As a result, the total death and case figures are lower than before.
The seven-day weighted average of the Bay State’s positive test rate remained at a low level of 1.0% on Wednesday.
Of the state’s 9,060 total coronavirus deaths, 5,815 are connected to long-term care facilities.
The U.S. has recorded more than 6.1 million coronavirus cases — the most cases in the world. More than 185,000 Americans have died and more than 2.2 million have recovered.