Salem Enters State's 'High Risk' Category For Coronavirus Spread

SALEM, MA — Salem is one of 158 cities and towns now considered at "high risk" for community coronavirus spread after positive cases rose in the past week.

Salem recorded 492 positive cases over the past 14 days, compared to 289 cases in the same span leading up to Dec. 3. The town's cases per 100,000 residents — the sole metric the state used until last month to determine whether cities and towns could move forward in reopening — jumped from 45.9 cases per 100,000 to 66.32 cases per 100,000.

Until the state changed its formula one month ago, any community with greater than 8.0 cases per 100,000 people was considered "high risk."

Salem's positive test rate rose from 3.78 percent to 5.13 percent.

Salem residents will have one more option for coronavirus testing starting next week.

Those looking to avoid the long lines of the "Stop the Spread" sites at Salem High and Old Town Hall can make an appointment for walk-up testing at the Mayor Jean Levesque Community Life Center on Bridge Street.

The Salem Coronavirus Awareness Network testing requires pre-registration and is open to Salem residents only.

Appointments can be made here.

The latest town-by-town report labeled 158 Massachusetts communities as high risk for the virus, up from 97 last week.

The positive test rate over the last two weeks increased in 289 — or 82.3 percent — of the 351 communities in the state. The rate fell in 38 — or 10.8 percent of — communities and held steady in the remaining 24.

There were 50 average daily cases per 100,000 residents of the state over that period, up from 35.7 last week.

More Patch Coverage: MA Town-By-Town Coronavirus Stats: Rates Rise In 82% Of Towns

Salem Coronavirus Rates Stabilize Amid Statewide Spike

Salem To Offer Resident-Only Coronavirus Testing By Appointment