Milford Taken Off Coronavirus High Risk List

MILFORD, MA — For the first time since early November, Milford is no longer considered a "high-risk" community for coronavirus.

Milford was one of 43 cities and towns that dropped off the state's list of red high risk communities over the past week. Cases have been trending down in recent weeks, and on Thursday two important markers — the positive test rate and daily new cases — fell below key thresholds.

As of Thursday, Milford's positive test rate was 4.96 percent, and the town was adding about 26.5 new cases per day per 100,000 people. Compare that to one month ago on Jan. 14: Milford's positive test rate was 10.36 percent, and new daily cases were at nearly 71 per 100,000.

Milford was first rated a red high risk community in October. The town was removed from the list in November, but only because the state changed how it measures coronavirus risk.

The state's weekly town-by-town report labeled 110 Massachusetts communities as high risk for the virus on Thursday, down from 153 on Feb. 4.

The positive test rate over the last two weeks fell in 271 — or 77.2 percent — of the 351 communities in the state. The rate rose in 50 — or 14.3 percent — of communities and held steady in the remaining 30. Two-week confirmed case counts rose in just 37 communities.

Milford is now rated as yellow, or moderate risk, on the state's map — that means there's still a risk of contracting the virus locally.