This Map Shows the Total Number of COVID Cases in Each Massachusetts County

The number of COVID-19 cases in Massachusetts is rising rapidly, straining hospitals and reinforcing the need for all of us who are able to stay home and contain the spread of the virus. It has so far reached every corner of the state, which public health officials have demonstrated by releasing data on the total number of confirmed infections in each county. Unlike in some other states, the data has not been shared with the public on a town-by-town, or neighborhood-by-neighborhood basis. Instead, those figures are made available exclusively to first responders and other officials who need to know them. Massachusetts Health Secretary Marylou Sudders has said this is to prevent unnecessary gossip and bullying, and frankly that’s probably for the best: If you know anything about local Facebook mobs, you know plenty of people would love nothing better than to name and shame their COVID-positive neighbors. But for those hoping to keep tabs on the spread statewide, the state has produced this helpful widget, which is updated daily. Boston has one as well, which you can access on the city’s website.