Newton Coronavirus Stats: Slight Uptick, Moderate Risk Still

NEWTON, MA — Newton stayed in the moderate-risk category in the latest city and town coronavirus report from the Massachusetts Department of Health Thursday — despite the fact that the number of coronavirus cases reported ticking slightly upward for the first time since January.

The city's positive test rate over the past two weeks was 0.98 percent, which was slightly up from 0.89 percent the week before, according to the state report. Still, that puts it firmly in the moderate-risk, or yellow, category.

Newton has had 3,606 cases of the coronavirus since the beginning of the pandemic, 214 of which were logged the past two weeks ending on March 2. That's up from 209 reported during the two-week period prior, pushing the city's average daily incidence rate up to 16.7 from 16.3 per 100,000 residents.

>>MA Town-By-Town Coronavirus Stats: High-Risk List Falls Below 200

The city pointed out it's the first time since November that there have been fewer than 100 new people who tested positive in Newton during a single week, according to city data.

The news is also improving at Boston College, which accounted for 24 percent of the positive COVID-19 cases in Newton during the past two-week reporting period, a decline from the 40 percent over the previous two weeks, according to Mayor Ruthanne Fuller.

The Boston College website shows 18 total positive cases reported since March 1.

"The news is good, but it will only be sustained if we all continue to follow the safety protocols which by now are all too familiar: wear masks, wash hands, distance physically, limit gatherings, stay home when not feeling well, and follow travel orders," Fuller said.

Only 19 Massachusetts cities and towns were labeled high-risk for the coronavirus Thursday in the latest town-by-town report. The majority of communities, 179, were labeled medium risk, or yellow. The remainder were marked gray or green, the lowest levels.

Massachusetts reported 1,410 coronavirus cases and 42 deaths Thursday.

The positive test rate during the past two weeks fell in 201 — or 57.3 percent — of the 351 communities in the state. The rate rose in 84 — or 23.9 percent — of communities. It held steady in the remaining 66. Two-week confirmed case counts fell in 203 communities and rose in 102.