North Andover Deemed High-Risk Community In Latest COVID-19 Map

NORTH ANDOVER, MA — North Andover will not be joining most of the rest of the communities in Massachusetts when they enter the next part of Phase Three on Monday, due to the coronavirus outbreak at Merrimack College.

North Andover was elevated to a high-risk community in the latest coronavirus map released Wednesday. Over the past two weeks there have been 111 confirmed cases with a 1.43 percent positivity rate.

Communities are marked high-risk, or red, due to more than eight confirmed COVID-19 cases per 100,000 residents over the past two weeks. North Andover is at 26.2.

The town reported nearly 100 active cases, Monday, but almost all are due to an outbreak in Merrimack College's Monican Hall dormitory.

The town will have to go three weeks without being high-risk to begin Part 2 of Phase 3. That step forward reopens indoor performance venues; expands capacity at outdoor performance venues, gyms, museums, driving and flight schools; reopens more indoor activities; and permits fitting rooms to open in all retail stores. It also allows for increased outdoor gatherings at events and in public settings.

With Wednesday's update, the following 29 communities do not qualify to move forward: 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.

The 11 new communities added to the list were: Attleboro, Avon, Boston, Dracut, Haverhill, Lowell, Lynnfield, Methuen, Middleton, North Andover and Springfield.