2 Key Coronavirus Markers Rise In Framingham

FRAMINGHAM, MA — Several key coronavirus markers have risen in Framingham over the past week, pushing the city back toward the high-risk zone.

On Tuesday, city health officials reported average new daily cases were at 29.21 per 100,000 residents, and the positive test rate was up to 2.92 percent. One week ago, average new daily cases were at 23.15 per 100,000, and the positive test rate was at 2.84 percent.

If Framingham's positive test rises above 4 percent, the city will be back on the list of red "high-risk" communities, according to the state Department of Public Health.

Meanwhile, the average daily test rate dropped from 11.28 per 1,000 people on March 15 to 10.36 on Tuesday. The number of active cases in Framingham has also risen over the last week from 1,324 to 1,405.

Framingham has two free coronavirus testing sites available. A walk-up site is open at St. Tarcisius, and a drive-up site is still open along Franklin Street.

Over the same one-week period, about 2,000 more residents have been fully vaccinated for a total of over 10,300.

On Monday, Gov. Charlie Baker moved the state ahead in the reopening plan. In phase 4 step 1, arenas, ballparks and indoor stadiums can reopen. Baker has also downgraded the travel order to a travel advisory.

Coronavirus rates across the state are lower right now than earlier in the winter, and thousands of state residents have been vaccinated. But there are also new variants of the strain circulating, including the more contagious UK and South African variants, and the potentially more deadly Brazil variant.