Photo: COVID update

On the day U.S. infections hit a new daily record of more than 91,000, Belmont entered the ‘yellow’ or moderate level of coronavirus risk, according to the state’s Department of Public Health on Thursday, Oct. 29.

Municipalities in the ‘yellow’ category are those with an average daily case rate between 4 to 8 cases per 100,000 population over the past 14 days. Belmont’s rate is currently at 4.2.

In the past month, Belmont has seen a distinct spike in positive COVID case rates:

Date	Average daily case rate between per 100,000 population
Oct. 9	2.35
Oct. 16	1.83
Oct. 23	2.9
Oct. 29	4.2

The total number of positive cases in Belmont since the beginning of the pandemic has reached 293 as of Oct. 29. Deaths remain steady at 60 since the last reported fatality in May.

And town officials saw the spike in cases coming. Belmont’s Health Department Director Wesley Chin told the Select Board on Monday, Oct. 26, the town recorded seven positive cases just in the past weekend.

“Belmont is not immune to [the national] trend,” said Chin, referring to the outbreak over the weekend as “a pretty big jump for us.” Chin said the rising number of cases is not due to a single source, such as a “super spreader” event.

Belmont had been a green community with a daily case rate below 4 since the state implemented its color coded system in early August.

With cases on the march, Chin reminded residents to practice social distancing, wear masks, wash their hands and stay home if they are feeling ill.