A Stamford resident who had traveled internationally has tested positive for COVID-19, bringing the state”™s number of confirmed coronavirus cases to four.
The patient returned from international travel on March 10 showing signs of having the disease, and was preemptively isolated at Stamford Hospital. They tested positive on March 11.
Gov. Ned Lamont made the announcement this morning during a tour of Protein Sciences in Meriden, where research for a coronavirus vaccine is underway.
Public schools in Stamford will be closed starting Friday until further notice.
“I applaud these residents for following the recommended precautionary measures in this incident,” said Mayor David Martin. “These measures are the type of small changes we can make in our habits to reduce exposure risk in Stamford”™s community.”
Earlier today came news that a patient cared for at Greenwich Hospital”™s emergency department on March 11 has tested positive for COVID-19.
“The patient from New York has been discharged to home under the supervision of the patient”™s local public health department,” said Norman Roth, the hospital”™s president and CEO.
No further details on that patient or the Stamford resident have been released.
Last night, Greenwich school officials announced that all its public schools would be closed from today through next week.
Meanwhile, the University of Bridgeport, Western Connecticut State University, and Fairfield University are the latest county-based schools to move all classes online in the midst of the COVID-19 crisis.
Bridgeport announced that all students on campus must vacate by noon tomorrow and are required to take with them any materials needed for their coursework.
All classes at its main campus and at its Waterbury campus will be moved online beginning Saturday and lasting through at least March 27.
Fairfield University President Mark Nemec said all of that school”™s programs and classes will be online starting March 16 and continuing through March 29.
Admittance to the school”™s library, recreational complex and other common areas will be restricted; events with more than 100 people will be postponed or canceled; athletic events will be closed to the public; and daily Mass will be suspended after today until further notice.
In addition, Western Connecticut State University in Danbury will run all of its classes online from March 23 through April 3. Residence halls will close on Friday at 5 p.m., with students required to remain off campus until April 4.
The moves follow Sacred Heart University”™s decision earlier this week to move all its classes online beginning on March 11 and yo cancel all major events on campus through March 29.
All four universities have cautioned that there are no known or suspected cases of COVID-19, nor anyone with symptoms requiring action, on their campuses.
Housatonic Community College in Bridgeport has also moved its classes online, while Norwalk Community College is closed for the remainder of this week, as a student is self-monitoring for COVID-19 symptoms after potentially coming into contact with someone who has the virus.
Norwalk”™s offices will reopen on March 16, with classes resuming on March 23, following spring break.
