List of high risk towns shrinks

The number of cities and towns categorized by state health officials as at “high-risk” for coronavirus transmission continues to drop, with 19 communities on Thursday’s list — down from 153 communities just four weeks ago.

Fitchburg was removed from the state Department of Public Health’s weekly high-risk list on Feb. 18, while Leominster was pulled Feb. 25. Both communities remain off Thursday’s list, though Fitchburg experienced a slight uptick in two key COVID19 metrics, according to DPH data.

To qualify in the high-risk category, the DPH states communities with populations under 10,000 must have more than 25 cases of the virus. For communities between 10,000 and 50,000 people, they must have an average of at least 10 cases per 100,000 people and a positive test rate of at least 5%. For communities with a population exceeding 50,000, they must have at least 10 cases per 100,000 people and a positive test rate of at least 4%.

According to Thursday’s data, Fitchburg’s average daily COVID-19 incidence rate per 100,000 people over the last 14 days is 32, an increase from last week’s total of 23.1 cases per 100,000. Fitchburg’s percent positivity rate also increased to 4.23% over the last 14 days, an increase from the previous 14 days, when the positivity rate was 3.38%.

Despite the increase in these two metrics, Thursday’s figures are still a significant dropoff from Fitchburg’s peak numbers in 2021. According to the DPH, on Jan. 12, Fitchburg’s average daily incidence rate per 100,000 people was 94.3, and the percent positivity rate was approximately 11.2%.

In Leominster, the COVID-19 metrics continue their downward trajectory in both categories, based on DPH data. Leominster’s average daily incidence rate per 100,000 people over the last two weeks is 23, down from last week’s total of 27.8 cases per 100,000. At this year’s peak, the average daily incidence rate in Leominster was 128.6 cases per 100,000 people, reported by health officials on Jan. 12.

Leominster’s percent positivity rate also dipped below 4% on Thursday for the first time in 2021, reaching 3.81% — a decrease from last week’s total of 4.62%. Leominster’s peak this year was 14.15% on Jan. 12, according to the DPH.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported 65,424 new cases of COVID-19 nationwide Thursday afternoon, bringing the total to nearly 28.6 million cases since the pandemic began. The CDC also announced the virus’ nationwide death toll was 517,224 as of Thursday afternoon, an increase of roughly 16,043 deaths compared to last Thursday.

Below is the total COVID-19 infections by city and town from Jan. 1, 2020, through Tuesday and how that total compares to last week’s numbers:

: Ashburnham – 343

(+2)

: Ashby – 148 (no change)

: Ayer – 745 (+12)

: Fitchburg – 4,120

(+103)

: Gardner – 2,072 (+22)

: Groton – 404 (+11)

: Lancaster – 455 (+7)

: Leominster – 4,412 (+66)

: Lunenburg – 631 (+14)

: Pepperell – 433 (+9)

: Princeton – 128 (+1)

: Rutland – 522 (+7)

: Shirley – 784 (+4)

: Sterling – 606 (+12)

: Townsend – 385 (+8)

: Westminster – 461 (+14).