For the 15th straight week, the state Department of Public Health released a breakdown of the total number of coronavirus cases in each Massachusetts city and town.
Until mid-July, the state provided data on the communities with the highest rates of cases per 100,000 people. This data is no longer being included, but some new information offers a snapshot of cases in recent weeks.
Among cities and towns with at least 15 new cases in the last two weeks, these 25 communities have the highest percentages of positive cases in the last two weeks:
| Community | Number of cases | Cases in the last 14 days | Total number of tests in the last 14 days | Positive tests in the last 14 days | Percent of positive tests in the last 14 days |
| Fall River | 1,703 | 71 | 2,142 | 113 | 5.28% |
| Revere | 1,870 | 53 | 1,627 | 70 | 4.3% |
| Winthrop | 301 | 37 | 1,036 | 42 | 4.05% |
| Brockton | 4,317 | 41 | 1,794 | 71 | 3.96% |
| Lawrence | 3,704 | 90 | 3,453 | 128 | 3.71% |
| Taunton | 1,001 | 18 | 737 | 27 | 3.66% |
| Lynn | 3,779 | 99 | 3,753 | 136 | 3.62% |
| Chelsea | 3,002 | 50 | 2,173 | 77 | 3.54% |
| Chicopee | 488 | 36 | 1,277 | 40 | 3.13% |
| Randolph | 967 | 16 | 734 | 22 | 3% |
| West Springfield | 396 | 16 | 588 | 17 | 2.89% |
| Springfield | 2,970 | 77 | 3,765 | 105 | 2.79% |
| Framingham | 1,775 | 24 | 1,308 | 36 | 2.75% |
| New Bedford | 2,197 | 34 | 1,970 | 53 | 2.69% |
| Holyoke | 959 | 32 | 1,533 | 40 | 2.61% |
| Everett | 1,823 | 43 | 2,340 | 52 | 2.22% |
| Lowell | 2,992 | 51 | 3,458 | 75 | 2.17% |
| Malden | 1,280 | 23 | 1,604 | 34 | 2.12% |
| Quincy | 1,195 | 44 | 2,361 | 49 | 2.08% |
| Boston | 14,464 | 282 | 18,955 | 384 | 2.03% |
| Marlborough | 1,015 | 19 | 1,304 | 25 | 1.92% |
| Methuen | 1,063 | 18 | 1,346 | 25 | 1.86% |
| Peabody | 1,021 | 16 | 1,624 | 29 | 1.79% |
| Worcester | 5,398 | 88 | 7,262 | 121 | 1.67% |
| Medford | 1,059 | 19 | 1,700 | 28 | 1.65% |
Data from between July 8, 2020, and July 22 2020, omitting communities with under 15 new cases in that span. The state notes that previous reports were based on the number of people who tested positive, but this percentage is instead based on the total number of positive tests. Both tallies are listed in the chart above.
Fall River tops the list with 5.28% positive tests. The city was second behind Lawrence last week, but its rate improved from 6.25%. Lawrence, meanwhile, dropped back to fifth with 3.71% positive tests, an improvement from 6.32%.
Take a closer look at last week's list.
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