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Worcester County now has 4 “green” communities as well - a term for communities with a low risk for the spread of the virus. They are Harvard, Holland, Hubbardston, and Millville, according to the Massachusetts weekly community-level report, Dec. 31.
SCROLL TO THE END OF THE ARTICLE FOR A LIST OF TOWN STATS
Other Worcester County communities where the risk is low include New Braintree, Hardwick, Berlin, Chester, and Philipston.
The COVID-19 rate in the City of Worcester went down from the previous week, but the community is still in the red - the highest risk level. Worcester’s COVID-19 incident rate per 100,000 residents was 76.3.
While the daily COVID-19 infection rate went down in most Worcester County communities - 33, to be exact - there were 22 that saw their rates rise. Communities with a higher COVID-19 rate than last week include Sturbridge, Hopedale, North Brookfield, Holden, Dudley, Sterling, Oxford, Webster, Warren, and Oakham.
HIGHEST RATES
The community with the highest COVID-19 rate was Gardner with 115 infections per 100,000 residents. After that, the cities with the highest rates were:
- Webster, 96.5
- Auburn, 91
- Leominster, 85.3
- Oxford, 81.6
LOWEST RATES
The community with the lowest COVID-19 rate is Hardwick, which had 8.6 incidents per 100,000 residents. After that, the communities with the lowest rates are:
- New Braintree, 13.5
- Harvard, 15.4
- Berlin, 15.5
- Petersham, 16.9
- Hubbardston, 19.8
There are now 58 Western and Central Massachusetts communities on Massachusetts' "red" list, including about nearly 40 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).
TOWN-BY-TOWN TRENDS, RATES
Below, per Worcester County community, are the COVID-19 rate, color-coded risk assessment, and whether the rate went up or down from the prior week’s report (Dec. 24). Data is taken from the weekly Massachusetts community-level report, Dec. 31:
- Athol 53.1 Red Lower
- Auburn 91 Red Lower
- Barre 20.6 Yellow Lower
- Berlin 15.5 Gray Lower
- Blackstone 45.9 Red Lower
- Bolton 32.5 Yellow Higher
- Boylston 58.9 Red Lower
- Brookfield 62 Red Lower
- Charlton 43.4 Red Lower
- Chester 21 Gray Higher
- Clinton 77.6 Red Lower
- Douglas 28.6 Red Lower
- Dudley 62.4 Red Higher
- E. Brookfield 39.8 Yellow Higher
- Fitchburg 77.2 Red Lower
- Gardner 115 Red Lower
- Grafton 35.5 Red Lower
- Hardwick 8.6 Gray Lower
- Harvard 15.4 Green Higher
- Holden 60.9 Red Higher
- Hopedale 45.6 Red Higher
- Hubbardston 19.8 Green No Change
- Lancaster 42.4 Red No Change
- Leicester 59 Red Lower
- Leominster 85.3 Red Lower
- Lunenburg 30.9 Red Lower
- Mendon 23.5 Yellow Lower
- Milford 62.6 Red Lower
- Millbury 57 Red Lower
- Millville 29.9 Green Lower
- N. Braintree 13.5 Gray No Change
- N. Brookfield 55.5 Red Higher
- Northborough 61.6 Yellow Lower
- Northbridge 27.8 Yellow Lower
- Oakham 63.6 Yellow Higher
- Oxford 81.6 Red Higher
- Paxton 77.9 Red Higher
- Petersham 16.9 Gray Higher
- Phillipston 41.7 Gray Higher
- Princeton 44.2 Yellow No Change
- Royalston 44.9 Gray Lower
- Rutland 41.5 Red Lower
- Shrewsbury 55 Red Lower
- Southborough 48 Red Higher
- Southbridge 72.8 Red Lower
- Spencer 56.7 Red low
- Sterling 69.1 Red Higher
- Sturbridge 45.3 Red Higher
- Sutton 51.9 Red Lower
- Templeton 46.7 Red Higher
- Upton 28.7 Red Higher
- Uxbridge 39.8 Red Lower
- Warren 27.6 Yellow Higher
- Webster 96.5 Red Higher
- W. Boylston 43.7 Red Higher
- W. Brookfield 57.9 Red No Change
- Westborough 48.5 Yellow Lower
- Westminster 55.7 Red Higher
- Winchendon 32.5 Red Lower
- Worcester 76.3 Red Lower.
Didn't see what you were looking for? Check out the full report on the Massachusetts COVID-19 website.
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