North Andover Remains High-Risk, Case Count Goes Back Up

NORTH ANDOVER, MA — North Andover was again designated a high-risk community in the weekly state data released Thursday. Declines in positive rates and case counts over recent weeks reversed, with North Andover reporting 14.2 average daily cases per 100,000 residents, up from 9.4 last week.

The town's positive test rate over the last two weeks was 0.74 percent, up from 0.51 percent last week. According to the state data, the town had 40 cases over the past two weeks, through Wednesday.

North Andover remained marked with an asterisk, meaning at least 10 of its cases and 30 percent of its cases over the last two weeks are linked to Merrimack College.

>>Merrimack College Officials Grilled By Selectmen Over Outbreak

Town officials pleaded with residents to follow masking and distancing guidelines at the Board of Selectmen meeting, Monday.

"We all affect each other," Town Manager Melissa Murphy-Rodrigues said. "It's a really hard balance, but if we don't get it right, it's going to be a long, hard winter."

Selectmen noted that beyond the public health effects, the town's businesses are hurt by the high-risk designation.

"By being more responsible, we're helping those business owners, our neighbors," Selectman Phil DeCologero said.

As of Thursday, North Andover had 65 active cases, of which 19 were at Merrimack College, the town reported. The college reported 15 positive tests from Oct. 20 to Oct. 26.

>>MA Town-By-Town Coronavirus Stats: High-Risk List Soars To 121

Across the state, 121 communities with over 8 average daily cases per 100,000 were designated high-risk, Thursday, up from 77 last week.

State officials have said that high-risk communities cannot move on to the next phase of reopening. Towns that spend three consecutive weeks at the high-risk level must revert back to the previous step. Towns are marked high-risk, or red, if they reported more than eight confirmed COVID-19 cases per day per 100,000 residents over the past two weeks.

Statewide, the positive test rate rose to 1.8 percent, more than double the September low of 0.8 percent. There were 11.8 average daily cases per 100,000 residents, keeping the state above the high-risk threshold.

There were 1,243 new COVID-19 cases and 27 deaths reported Thursday. There have been 9,727 deaths and 151,741 confirmed cases statewide since the pandemic reached the Bay State in March.

According to the town's more up-to-date numbers, 671 people have tested positive for the virus since March. Forty-five residents have died.

Christopher Huffaker can be reached at 412-265-8353 or chris.huffaker@patch.com.