BOSTON (WHDH) - Nearly all of the counties in Massachusetts now have a high risk for COVID-19 transmission as the number of new coronavirus cases continue to climb.
Berkshire, Franklin, Worcester, Middlesex, Norfolk, Essex, Suffolk, Plymouth, Dukes, Nantucket, and Barnstable counties are currently at a high risk level, according to the CDC.
Low, medium, or high risk levels are “determined by looking at hospital bed usage, hospital admissions, and the total number of new COVID-19 cases in an area,” the agency said.
Hampshire, Hampden, and Bristol counties are considered medium risk.
On Thursday, the Massachusetts Department of Public Health reported 5,576 new COVID-19 cases and 16 deaths. The state’s seven-day positivity has also increased to 8.24 percent.
There are currently 728 people hospitalized with the virus, 66 patients in intensive care units, and 27 intubated patients.
The state has reported 1,659,250 cases and 19,243 deaths since the start of the pandemic.
(Copyright (c) 2024 Sunbeam Television. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.)