This is certainly not a good start to a new year. According to new data from the CDC, all of Massachusetts, and for that matter, all of New England is considered high-risk for transmission of COVID-19.

The facts, figures, and numbers are in. As the omicron variant spreads, driving new covid cases to record-breaking highs, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports that all of New England is at high risk for COVID-19 transmission.

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As a matter of fact, out of all the counties in the United States, counties that are considered high-risk lead the rest of the pack by a very wide margin. The number of high-risk counties across the country is 2,943. The next highest number(for substantial risk) is only 158.

According to the CDC, every single county in New England, between the dates of December 23 and December 29, has a very high COVID-19 transmission rate with more than 100 new cases reported per 100,000 residents.

Just on Thursday and Friday of last week alone, more than 21,000 new cases were reported by the Massachusetts Department of Public Health. And now with the omicron variant cutting a swath across the country, the positivity rate has also jumped up to almost 18.5%.

Through the last 7 days, the number of new cases across the country is now at 486,428 bringing the total case number up to 53,795,407. The total number of new deaths in the United States is 1,539, bringing that total up to a staggering 820,355.

Will we see the numbers start dropping off again soon? Hopefully. In the meantime, several schools districts across Massachusetts delayed the return to school on Monday, January 3, over concerns of spreading COVID-19 in classrooms.

For a closer look at the numbers, visit the CDC's website here.

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