By Paul Hughes and Elio Gugliotti, Staff
The state Department of Public Health reported 117 additional cases of COVID-19 Tuesday.
There have been 43,491 laboratory-confirmed cases since March 8, and another 1,958 probable cases involving untested patients who are showing symptoms of the disease.
Public health officials reported 14 more coronavirus-associated deaths Tuesday. There have been 3,414 confirmed deaths of patients who tested positive for COVID-19 around their time of death, and 863 probable deaths.
There was a net drop of two patients in the hospitalization rate. There were 138 hospitalizations for COVID-19 across the state.
The Department of Public Health received 6,396 new test results. There have now been 401,986 tests conducted in the state, which includes multiple tests of the same patient or specimen.
On Tuesday, the Naugatuck Valley Health District reported no new cases in its jurisdiction of Ansonia, Beacon Falls, Derby, Naugatuck, Seymour and Shelton. There have been 374 confirmed cases in Naugatuck and 48 in Beacon Falls.
The health district reported an additional confirmed COVID-19 associated death in Naugatuck. There have been 36 confirmed and three probable deaths associated with COVID-19 in Naugatuck and none in Beacon Falls, according to the health district.
As of Friday, the Chesprocott Health District reported there had been 67 cases in Prospect and no coronavirus-related deaths in town. The health district also serves Wolcott and Cheshire.
As the state continues with its reopening plan, Chesprocott Director of Health Maura Esposito urged residents to continue to be vigilant to prevent the spread of coronavirus.
“The health and well-being of our residents remains our highest priority,” said Esposito in a news release. “CHD has been monitoring the virus since January by tracking travelers from China and calling all our positive cases since March. Our COVID-19 cases have decreased due to the community taking the necessary precautions to stay safe. I am encouraged by how our residents have followed the governor’s orders and how they have come together to support each other during this pandemic.”
Chesprocott is using the Department of Public Health’s ContaCT system to conduct interviews with positive cases and close contacts for contact tracing, the release said. The staff works with people to help them identify who they have interacted with and the locations or events they have gone to while infectious with the virus.
Esposito urged people to follow guidelines as the state reopens, including social distancing, washing hands thoroughly for at least 20 seconds, and staying home if they are sick.
