MA Coronavirus Numbers Continue Increase As Reopening Moves Ahead

More than 4 percent of coronavirus tests Sunday came back positive for the highly contagious virus as medical and political leaders express concern about the state's continued reopening.

Monday's daily coronavirus report showed 465 confirmed across 11,265 molecular tests, a 4.1 percent positivity rate. The seven-day positive test rate has been at 1.1 percent for a week.

Twenty more deaths were reported, bringing the total to 9,315 since the start of the pandemic. The number of people hospitalized with the virus increased by 35, bringing the total to 473 — the highest in weeks — while the three-day average is at 442. The lowest three-day average of hospitalized patients was 302.

Nonetheless, Monday marked the first day most communities were permitted to move to the second step of Phase Three of the state's reopening plan. With that comes increasing the indoor performance venue capacity and reopening indoor recreational activities and retail store fitting rooms, among other things.

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The continued reopening amid a recent spike in COVID-19 numbers is raising some eyebrows.

"We have serious concerns regarding daily individual positive test results that have doubled since the summer to approximately 3 percent and a sharp increase in daily new cases, which has on several occasions in recent weeks surpassed 500," the Massachusetts Medical Society recently said in a statement.

Congressman Seth Moulton said the continued reopening is a "bad move."

"Looking at the numbers and the state’s color-coded map, you can see that cases in our region are increasing," Moulton said in a statement Monday.

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The following 29 communities will not be permitted to move to Part 2 of Phase 3 of the state's reopening plan until at least Thursday for some: Attleboro, Avon, Boston, Chelsea, Dedham, Everett, Dracut, Framingham, Haverhill, Holliston, Lowell, Lawrence, Lynn, Lynnfield, Marlborough, Methuen, Middleton, Monson, Nantucket, New Bedford, North Andover, Plainville,Revere, Saugus, Springfield, Tynsborough, Winthrop, Worcester and Wrentham.

Somerville said Monday it won't be moving forward yet, even though it's allowed to.