The number of cities and towns on the state's list of communities with high risk of coronavirus is growing. The number of towns to be on the state's red list of hot spots has grown from 23 last week to 40 this week. The cities of Springfield, Boston, Worcester, Lawrence, Lowell and New Bedford remain on the list. Newcomers to the red category this week include Southbridge, Webster and Leicester.
In Western Mass, besides Springfield, Sunderland and Amherst made it to the list. Officials in Amherst have already pinpointed a spike in cases there to a number of parties among UMass students.
There were no new coronavirus deaths reported in Western Massachusetts on Wednesday. There were thirty-seven new cases reported in Hampden County, eight in Hampshire, two in Franklin and one in Berkshire County to increase the pandemic total for Western Mass to 11-thousand-100.
(Photo Provided by Mass Department of Public Health)