Gov. Ned Lamont announced last night that Connecticut now has a 4.1% Covid-19 infection rate ”“ the state’s highest positivity rate since June 6.
Under the state”™s own color-coded system, 19 municipalities are now classified “red alert,” the highest level on the chart. Those municipalities ”“ which include Danbury, Fairfield and Norwalk ”“ can choose to roll back to Phase 2 reopening guidelines.
To be classified “red alert,” municipalities must average at least 15 new daily cases per 100,000 residents.
The increase in Covid cases is “not unexpected,” Lamont said, “but it still wakes you up like a cold shower.”
“I know everybody”™s exhausted with saying this, and I know we”™ve got a vote coming up, and I know we have thousands of kids coming back from college, but this is a really important month for us to get it right,” the governor said.
Another of Lamont”™s favored metrics ”“ Covid-related hospitalization ”“ is also on the rise; as of yesterday, there were 292 hospitalized, up 22 from Monday. The state also recorded another six deaths, bringing that total to 4,595.
Hospitalizations in Fairfield County increased by 2 to 68, while deaths now stand at 1,117.
Connecticut has also added Massachusetts, Pennsylvania and California to its Covid-19 travel advisory, bringing that list”™s total to 40 states and two territories. To be included on the list, locations must have a positive case rate higher than 10 per 100,000 residents, or higher than a 10% test positivity rate over a 7-day rolling average.
It also applies to any person arriving into Connecticut from a country for which the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has issued a Level 3 Travel Health Notice.
The only states now exempt from Connecticut”™s travel advisory designation are Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, New York, Oregon, Washington and Hawaii.
