Peabody Coronavirus Cases Soar Into 'High-Risk' Category

PEABODY, MA — Coronavirus test case rates soared into the "high-risk" category for community spread in the latest state report as the test positive rate reached 4.82 percent with 325 new cases over the previous 14 days.

The cases per 100,000 people rose to 36.9 — more than four times the 8.0 cases that were the threshold for a "high risk" community before the state changed its metrics three weeks ago.

The rates rose sharply again from 21.2 cases per 100,000 residents last week and 15.8 cases two weeks ago.

The positive test rate over the last two weeks increased in 266 — or 75.8 percent — of the 351 communities in the state. The rate fell in 36 — or 10.3 percent — communities and held steady in the remaining 49.

Statewide, there were 29.7 average daily cases per 100,000 residents, up from 20.7 last week. The number of high-risk communities rose from 30 to 62.

The Peabody Health Department released a map of case clusters this week to show residents that all areas of the city are being affected.

"As you can see, no section of the city has been spared," the Health Department said. "We are seeing increased levels of transmission among household members as well as groups of families and friends gathering together."

Fifty-nine towns had positive test rates at or above 5 percent over the last two weeks, up from 30 last week.

Over 160 communities had positive rates between 2 and 5 percent.

The state reported 92,139 new tests Friday, bringing the total number of tests to 7.6 million.

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