Grafton COVID-19 cases now up to 3

Grafton now has three confirmed cases of COVID-19 and townspeople and others who may have had contact with the individuals will be notified.

The news comes as the pandemic continues to increase nationwide. There are 1,159 cases in the state of Massachusetts. There were nine deaths in the state as of Monday.

Gov. Charlie Baker has also announced a new messaging tool called “AlertsMA,” which will allow residents to subscribe to real-time notifications by texting the keyword COVIDMA to 888-777.  After signing up, state and public health officials can send short messages and links to information directly to a resident’s cell phone or other mobile device.

“Throughout this outbreak, we have consistently reminded our residents to get their information from trusted sources. Today we’re making that easier,” said Governor Charlie Baker. “With the addition of this new communication tool, we’re making it easier for everyone to stay informed about state actions and important announcements related to COVID-19.”

The AlertsMA notifications can be used to share news, prevention information, and help connect residents to information that they are looking for through other public information channels, such as the state’s Information line, 2-1-1, and website searches on mass.Gov.