Braintree's Coronavirus Rate Rises, Town Upgraded To Yellow

Braintree MA

24 September, 2020

3:14 PM

Description

BRAINTREE, MA — About a third of Massachusetts communities, including Braintree, had rising coronavirus test rates over the last two weeks, according to new town-by-town data released by the state Wednesday. The state upgraded Braintree's coronavirus threat level by deeming it a "yellow" community, a designation given to cities and towns that average four to eight cases per 100,000 people daily. The latest data showed the positive test rate over the last two weeks increased in 116— or 33 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 147. Braintree's case count over the last 14 days was 33, bringing the total number of cases to 893, according to state data. The town has conducted 2,457 tests over the past two weeks, 40 of which came back positive. There have been 16,283 tests conducted overall in Braintree. The town's percent positive rate over the last two weeks rose to 1.63 percent. Health officials say positive test results need to stay below 5 percent for two weeks or longer and, preferably, be closer to 2 percent, for states to safely ease restrictions. Four towns remained above that 5 percent positive threshold. View the state's interactive COVID-19 map.