Under the previous system, counties were measured against a metric of eight or fewer cases per 100,000 population measured over a 14-day period, along with a test positivity rate of 5% or less.
To qualify for the turquoise category, counties must meet all three criteria, but once they do, they will be re-evaluated every four weeks.
In addition, the state modified the statewide gating criteria for COVID-19, increasing the case rate over a seven-day rolling average from 168 to 210 and the test positivity rate from 5% to 7.5% or less.
Under the new criteria, in addition to the 24 turquoise counties, six are at the green level and three are yellow.
Today’s new cases would appear to be the first time the state has topped 300 cases since March 5 .
According to a health department news release, previously reported numbers included 20 cases that have been identified as duplicates —these have now been corrected.
Julia Goldberg is a senior correspondent at SFR, covering politics, technology and other topics.