By Paul Hughes, Republican-American
NEW HAVEN — No deaths from coronavirus disease were reported Tuesday for the first time in more than three and a half months in Connecticut.
Gov. Ned Lamont highlighted this milestone during a news conference in New Haven to announce the launch of a $1.5 million loan program for minority- and women-owned businesses in New Haven and the lower Naugatuck Valley.
“On a very positive note for the first time in months there were zero COVID-related fatalities in Connecticut, zero COVID-related fatalities,” he said.
There have been nearly 4,400 confirmed and probable deaths since the first fatality was announced on March 18. The first laboratory-confirmed case of COVID-19 was reported 10 days earlier.
Through Tuesday, there have been 3,466 confirmed deaths of people who tested positive for the viral disease around the time of death, and another 872 deaths of untested individuals whose death certificates list COVID-19 as the cause of death or a significant condition contributing to death.
THE FIRST DEATH was an 88-year-old man being treated at Danbury Hospital who had succumbed to complications from COVID-19. He had been a resident of an assisted living facility in Ridgefield.
Since then, approximately 2,600 people over age 80 have died in the outbreak, and another 945 people in their 70s and 530 others in their 60s have also died.
The Office of the Chief Medical Examiner on Tuesday was still awaiting test results to determine the cause of death of a 6-week-old infant who tested positive post-mortem for COVID-19. Lamont announced the newborn’s death on April 1.
Nearly 90% of coronavirus-associated fatalities have been recorded in Fairfield, Hartford and New Haven counties.
There have been 1,380 confirmed and probable deaths in Hartford County, 1,377 in Fairfield County and 1,078 in New Haven County.
In contrast, deaths in fourth- and fifth-ranked counties did not top 200. There have been 186 deaths in Middlesex County and 137 deaths in Litchfield County.
The 14 deaths recorded in Windham County was the lowest of the eight counties. There also have been 64 deaths in Tolland County, and 102 deaths in New London County.
The latest state statistics on race and ethnicity Tuesday showed whites accounted for 3,179 deaths, compared to 644 deaths among Blacks, 374 among Hispanics, and 47 among Asians and Pacific Islanders. Two Native American deaths were also reported.
THE NAUGATUCK VALLEY HEALTH DISTRICT reported Tuesday there have been 382 confirmed cases in Naugatuck and 53 in Beacon Falls. There have been 36 confirmed deaths associated with coronavirus and three probable deaths in Naugatuck, according to the health district, and none in Beacon Falls.
As of July 2, the Chesprocott Health District reported there have been 72 cases in Prospect and no coronavirus-related deaths in town.
HOSPITALIZATIONS FOR COVID-19 were up 16 patients from Monday to 83 statewide.
Lamont said this increase was not overly worrying to him, but described the double-digit uptick as “a little disturbing.”
He attributed the increase to fewer discharges of sick patients, rather than new admissions. He said he would be alarmed if it was the other way around.
“We have added about 20 to 30 new COVID cases a day into our hospitals. That has been consistent for the last few weeks. What has happened is there are many fewer discharges. So, it is not something I worry about, but it is something I note to you,” Lamont said.
The Department of Public Health reported 57 of the 5,745 test results reported since Monday came back positive for COVID-19. He said this 1% positivity rate is among the lowest in the nation.
In a related development, Connecticut, New York and New Jersey added the states of Delaware, Kansas and Oklahoma to a tri-state travel advisory that directs visitors from states with high infection rates to self-quarantine for 14 days upon arrival.
There are now 19 states on the COVID-19 watch list. The advisory applies to states with a daily positive test rate higher than 10 per 100,000 residents or a 10% or higher positive rate over a seven-day rolling average.
Lamont recently signed an executive order that exempts visitors from listed states who have tested negative for COVID-19 within 72 hours before traveling to Connecticut.
Elio Gugliotti contributed to this report.
