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The COVID-19 infection rates per 100,000 people went down in Worcester, Springfield, Chicopee, Leominster, Fitchburg, Amherst, and Shrewsbury, according to town-level data released by Massachusetts’ Department of Public Health on Thursday, Jan. 21.
All of these communities, except for Amherst, are in the “red” - meaning they are at the highest risk for the spread of the virus.
Amherst is in the yellow category.
Massachusetts's color-coded risk system has four levels. They are, from most to least risk, red, yellow, green, gray (low to no risk).
Meanwhile, in Pittsfield, Westfield, and Holyoke the COVID-19 rate went up.
HIGH RATES
Among Western and Central Massachusetts communities, Gardner has the highest COVID-1 rate with 139.8 cases reported per 100,000 people, averaged out over 14 days. Gardner has the 9th highest COVID-19 rate in Massachusetts.
The next highest rates, among the top 40 most populated communities this side of 495, was in
- Leominster - 115.9
- Southbridge - 113.7
- Clinton - 113.6
- Holyoke - 104.4
- Springfield - 98.1.
LOWEST RATES
There are 9 green communities in Western and Central Massachusetts, according to the most recent data.
The green towns around here are Westhampton, Otis, Huntington, Russell, Wales, Sheffield, Princeton, Laensborugh, and Harvard.
Overall, the statewide COVID-19 rate has decreased by about 10 percent over the last two weeks - a condition that encouraged Gov. Charlie Baker to end the state’s 9:30/10 p.m. curfew and stay-home advisory. The curfew, which has been in place for about two months, will expire on Monday, Jan. 25.
TOP 40 CITIES AND TOWNS
The following is a list of COVID-19 rates per 100,000 people in Central and Western Massachusetts’ 40 most populated communities.
- Gardner 139.8
- Leominster 115.9
- Southbridge 113.7
- Clinton 113.6
- Holyoke 104.4
- Springfield 98.1
- Ludlow 97.6
- Chicopee 90.7
- Worcester 90.3
- Fitchburg 85.8
- Agawam 83.2
- West Springfield 79.3
- Auburn 79.3
- Holden 76.3
- E. Longmeadow 75.2
- Easthampton 75
- Shrewsbury 74.7
- Milford 73.3
- Palmer 72.5
- Westfield 71
- Dudley 70.5
- Wilbraham 70.3
- Leicester 67.9
- Pittsfield 66.1
- Grafton 66
- Hampden 65.6
- Lunenburg 63.8
- Oxford 54.5
- Longmeadow 53.3
- Charlton 52.4
- Uxbridge 46.7
- Westborough 46.6
- South Hadley 45.4
- Webster 34.6
- Whatley 34.4
- North Adams 33.3
- Northbridge 31.4
- Northampton 31.1
- Greenfield 27.5
- Amherst 26.6
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