Danvers Coronavirus Cases Surge Higher In Latest State Count

DANVERS, MA — Amid concerns of a post-Thanksgiving spike in coronavirus test rates throughout the state and the country, the recent rapid rise in cases continued in Danvers over the past two weeks.

The Danvers cases per 100,000 people — the sole metric the state used until last month to determine the extent to which a community can reopen businesses— rose to 44.3 in Thursday's report. That is sharply higher than the 24.9 cases in the Nov. 20 report.

The Danvers positive test rate was 4.92 percent over the past two weeks.

The town had 177 new cases over the two-week period leading up to Thursday, compared to 112 cases over the same span leading up to Nov. 20.

Until revising its formula for determining a community that is at high risk for community spread last month, any city or town with more than 8.0 cases per 100,000 people was considered a "red" high-risk community.

Danvers Town Administrator Steve Bartha told Patch this week that a drive-thru testing site in town will soon be announced — potentially utilizing money that remains from the town's CARES Act funding, as Swampscott is doing.

The Massachusetts Department of Public Health reported by far the highest single-day coronavirus case total on record Thursday, the second day in a row surpassing the peak numbers from the virus's first wave in April.

The state reported 6,477 new cases, up nearly 2,000 from Wednesday and more than double the high reported in the spring. That included a 680 case backlog due to a technical issue at a lab, the state said, but even without those it was the most cases on record.

The latest town-by-town report labeled 97 Massachusetts communities a high-risk, up from 81 last week. The majority of the state's cities and towns reported rising test rates.

State officials announced 49 more deaths Thursday. The seven-day average of hospitalized coronavirus patients increased to 1,324, compared to 963 last Friday.

The positive test rate over the last two weeks increased in 209 — or 59.5 percent — of the 351 communities in the state. The rate fell in 88 — or 25.1 percent of — communities and held steady in the remaining 54.

There were 35.7 average daily cases per 100,000 residents, up from 34.9 last week.

More Patch Coverage: Danvers Coronavirus Cases Nearly Double Week Over Week

MA Reports New High 6,477 Coronavirus Cases, 5% Positive Rate

North Shore Officials Urge Extension To Use CARES Act Funds