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On Thursday, Dec. 17, Massachusetts Public Health Department released weekly town-by-town datasets that include how many COVID-19 incidents there are per 100,000 residents - the incident rate.
The communities where the rate went down are Southwick and Belchertown.
HIGHEST
Meanwhile, Springfield, Ludlow, Holyoke, Wilbraham, Chicopee, and West Springfield had the highest COVID-19 rates per 100,000 residents. The rates are:
- Springfield - 88.7
- Ludlow - 87.2
- Holyoke - 83.8
- Wilbraham - 70.8
- Chicopee - 64.9
- West Springfield - 57.
In all six of these cities, the rate increased from the previous one and they are all “in the red,” that is to say these communities are in the category for highest risk of infection.
There are now 56 Western and Central Massachusetts communities on Massachusetts' "red" list, including about 11 cities and towns in Hampden 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).
LOWEST
The communities that had the lowest COVID-19 rate in Hampden County are Montgomery, Becket, Plainfield, Blanford, and Ware. Here are their rates:
- Montgomery - 8.1
- Becket - 15.9
- Plainfield - 22.8
- Blandford - 23.6
- Ware - 24.6.
The towns of Blandford, Plainfield, and Montgomery saw no change in their rate compared to last week, while the rate in Becket increased.
HAMPDEN COUNTY
Below is a rundown of what’s happening in your community, it includes the community’s COVID-19 rate per 100,000 residents, the community’s color-coded risk level, and whether the rate went up, down, or stayed flat:
- Agawam 52.4 Red Higher
- Becket 15.9 Gray Higher
- Belchertown 30.7 Yellow Lower
- Blandford 23.6 Gray No change
- Brimfield 38.3 Yellow Higher
- Chicopee 64.9 Red Higher
- E Longmeadow 50.8 Red Higher
- Hampden 33.5 Yellow Higher
- Holyoke 83.8 Red Higher
- Longmeadow 47.3 Yellow Higher
- Ludlow 87.2 Red Higher
- Monson 29.8 Red Higher
- Montgomery 8.1 Gray No change
- Palmer 55.6 Red Higher
- Plainfield 22.8 Gray No change
- Russell 26.4 Gray Higher
- Southwick 31.3 Red Lower
- Springfield 88.7 Red Higher
- Ware 24.6 Yellow Higher
- W Springfield 57 Red Higher
- Westfield 38.2 Red Higher
- Wilbraham 70.8 Red Higher,
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