Covid-19: Dozen Central/Western Mass Communities Are 'High-Risk' For Infection

COVID-19 rates are spiking in new communities in Western and Central Massachusetts.

Oct. 7 COVID-19 infection rate map
Photo Credit: *Mass.Gov*

Oct. 7 COVID-19 risk map, the colors denote risk. Red means there are 8 or more average daily positive tests per 100,000 residents; Yellow means there are between 4 and 8 new infections every day per 100,000 residents. Green means 4 or fewer.
Photo Credit: *Mass.gov*

10/08/2020 8:05 a.m.

According to the most recent state data, Wednesday, Oct. 7, there are about a dozen “high-risk” or “red” communities in the second half of Massachusetts.

High-risk communities have 8 or more positive COVID-19 tests per 100,000 residents - a level that puts the town at high-risk for spreading the disease.

The community with the highest rate of average daily COVID-19 infections is Sunderland, with 20.67 new infections per 100,000 residents.

The community with the most total cases over the past two weeks is Springfield, which has seen 324 new cases reported.

Worcester has the next highest with 269 new cases reported.

The following is a list of high-risk communities in Western and Central Massachusetts. The data includes the number of new positive cases of COVID-19 reported over the last two weeks as well as the average daily incident rate of positive COVID-19 tests in parenthesis ().

Amherst - 95 positive COVID-19 cases reported over the last two weeks; (average daily COVID-19 infection rate is 16.76 rate per 100,000 people)

Sunderland - 11, (20.67)

Holyoke - 62, (10.75)

Springfield - 324, (14.62)

Southbridge - 21, (8.91)

Dudley - 14, (8.08)

Webster - 21, (8.73)

Worcester - 269, (10.01)

Leicester - 14, (8.88)

Hudson - 32, (10.91)

Marlborough - 73, (12)

Southborough - 64, (13.22)

Farmington, 133, (12.76).

See the full map at Mass.gov.

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