SPRINGFIELD, Mass. (WWLP) – A western Massachusetts city that was hit hard by COVID-19 reached a new milestone Thursday, after being listed as a high-risk zone since the deadly pandemic began back in 2019.
State public health officials in their weekly COVID-19 report listed Springfield as moderate-risk (yellow zone) for the first time in nearly a year, with 631 positive cases in the last 14 days.
On Monday, the city reported 326 new cases in the last 7 days, which brought the total number of cases in Springfield to 18,473. There were three additional deaths in the last 7 days in Springfield as well, totaling 227 deaths.
Chicopee and Southwick are the only two western Massachusetts communities in the red zone, meaning more than 25 COVID-19 cases were reported in the last two weeks, according to the latest state report.
COVID-19 in Massachusetts: 27 new deaths, 1,857 new cases
In addition to Springfield, the following local areas were also listed as a yellow zone:
- Agawam
- Amherst
- Belchertown
- East Longmeadow
- Easthampton
- Greenfield
- Holyoke
- Lee
- Ludlow
- Monson
- Northampton
- Palmer
- South Hadley
- Springfield
- Sunderland
- Ware
- West Springfield
- Westfield
- Wilbraham
A yellow zone means less than 25 COVID cases were reported in those areas in the last 14 days.
Last week, the state public health officials also listed 19 local communities in the yellow zone, Springfield remained in the red zone until this week.
There are now five local areas listed as low-risk for COVID-19; Dalton, Longmeadow, Pittsfield, Southampton, Warren.
Last week, there were six, the areas not listed as high, moderate, or low have been designated as a grey area with less than 10 COVID-19 cases reported within the last two weeks.
