Twenty Massachusetts communities are in the largest risk group, or red zone, for COVID-19 infection this week, an increase of six communities out of last week, according to state data.
Nevertheless, the state’s average daily business rate declined again this week, if only slightly. This week, the rate over the past two weeks was 19.5 cases per 100,000 inhabitants. Last week, it was 20.3 per 100,000.
A community receives a red-zone designation based on several factors. Small communities with less than 10,000 residents are placed in the red zone, according to the state, if they have had more than 25 cases in the past two weeks. For communities between 10,000 and 50,000 people, a red-zone designation is given if the community has ten or more average cases per 100,000 inhabitants and if the positivity rate is greater than or equal to 5 percent. For communities older than 50,000, they require 10 or more cases per 100,000 residents and a positive percentage of 4 percent or higher.
Here’s a look at each of the communities in the red zone, listed alphabetically:
- Barnstable
- Chicopee
- Dighton
- Douglas
- Val River
- Freetown
- Hanson
- Lancaster
- Lawrence
- Lowell
- Methuen
- Millis
- Plymouth
- Reversal
- Rutland
- Southwick
- Sterling
- Sutton
- West bridgewater
- Yarmouth
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