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The communities that lowered their COVID-19 infection rate to the point that they were removed from a list of the state’s riskiest places are Templeton and Winchendon.
The communities that were added to the red list are Blackstone, Charlton, Holden, Mendon, North Brookfield, Southborough, Spencer, and Sturbridge.
There are now 36 Western and Central Massachusetts communities on the red list, including 27 cities and towns in Worcester County. Massachusetts's color-coded risk system has four levels. They are, from most to least risk, red, yellow, green, gray (low to no risk).
The community with the highest COVID-19 rate is Southbridge. The town has an average daily COVID-19 infection rate of 62.6 per 100,000 people.
Sutton had the next highest rate at 52.6, followed by Leominster at 51.5. Even though Leominster is still in the red, the city reduced the number of incidents since last week, Nov. 27. The total number of cases reported increased in Southbridge and Sutton.
The other 16 Worcester County communities on the state's red list are: Clinton, Douglas, Fitchburg, Gardner, Lancaster, Leicester, Lunenburg, Mendon, Milford, Millbury, Paxton, Rutland, Sterling, Upton, Uxbridge, and West Boylston.
The statewide COVID-19 infection rate for the week of Dec. 3 was 35.7 infections per 100,000 residents. The state is at the yellow level of risk for COVID-19 infections.
The Worcester County communities that pose the lowest risk of infection are Petersham, where the rate of infection is 5.6; Warren, 6.6 rate; New Salem, 7.3; Harvard, 8.2; and Hardwick, 10.7.
Meanwhile, 25 Worcester County communities reported fewer incidents than the prior week, while 29 reported having more cases, and 7 reported no change at all.
The following is a list of Worcester County communities, their COVID-19 infection rates per 100,000 residents for the week of Dec. 3, their color-coded risk level, and whether the overall number of cases in town went up, down or stayed the same. Communities that are newly added to the red list appear in CAPS. Communities in which the case count went up are in bold.
- Ashburnham 19.3 Yellow Lower
- Athol 14.3 Yellow Higher
- Auburn 39 Yellow Higher
- Barre 12.8 Gray Higher
- Berlin 35.4 Yellow Higher
- BLACKSTONE 34 Red Lower
- Bolton 19.8 Gray Higher
- Boylston 28.6 Yellow Higher
- Brookfield 21.3 gray low
- CHARLTON 47.9 Red Higher
- Clinton 37 Red Lower
- Douglas 23.3 Red Lower
- Dudley 30.9 Yellow Lower
- E. Brookfield 35 Green Higher
- Fitchburg 42.2 Red Lower
- Gardner 47.4 Red Higher
- Grafton 30.9 Yellow Higher
- Hardwick 10.7 Gray No change
- Harvard 8.2 Gray No change
- HOLDEN 50.4 Red Higher
- Hopedale 40.6 Red Lower
- Hubbardston 16.8 Gray Lower
- Lancaster 21.6 Red Lower
- Leicester 36.8 Red No change
- Leominster 51.5 Red Lower
- Lunenburg 32.9 Red Lower
- MENDON 33.4 Red Higher
- Milford 42.1 Red Higher
- Millbury 39.7 Red Lower
- Millville 11.9 Gray Lower
- New Braintree 26.9 Gray Higher
- New Salem 7.3 Gray Higher
- N. BROOKFIELD 41.6 Red Higher
- Northborough 33.2 Yellow Higher
- Northbridge 23.9 Yellow Lower
- Oakham 13.4 Gray No change
- Oxford 18.7 Yellow Lower
- Paxton 38.9 Red Higher
- Petersham 5.6 Gray Higher
- Phillipston 16.7 Gray Higher
- Princeton 35.4 Yellow No change
- Royalston 11.2 Gray No change
- Rutland 37.6 Red Higher
- Shrewsbury 26.9 Yellow Lower
- SOUTHBOROUGH 24.4 Red Higher
- Southbridge 62.6 Red Higher
- SPENCER 36.1 Red Higher
- Sterling 50.9 Red No change
- STURBRIDGE 27 Red Higher
- Sutton 52.6 Red Higher
- Templeton 17.4 Yellow Lower
- Upton 24.1 Red Higher
- Uxbridge 24.2 Red Lower
- Warren 6.6 Gray Lower
- Webster 25.8 Yellow Lower
- West Boylston 42.8 Red Higher
- West Brookfield 23.1 Gray Lower
- Westborough 33.6 Yellow Higher
- Westminster 24.4 Yellow Lower
- Winchendon 23.2 Yellow Lower
- Worcester 47.4 Yellow Lower.
Massachusetts’ system for determining local risk and COVID-19 rates considers the size of a community.
To be a red city or town, a small community must have 25 or more total cases; a medium community must have an average of more than 10 cases per 100,000 people or a positive COVID-19 test rate of 5 percent or more; for large communities, they must have an average case rate of more than 10 cases per 100,000 people and a positive test rate that is 4 percent or higher.
Didn't see your town? Want more information? Read the weekly Massachusetts COVID-19 Response Reporting Center online.
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