CT Coronavirus: 2,000-Plus Cases Over The Weekend

CONNECTICUT — The coronavirus positivity rate took a break over the weekend, dropping to 2.2 percent.

Hospitalizations, however, continued to climb, with COVID-19 patients occupying 37 more beds across the state.

John Murphy, the president and CEO of Nuvance Health, joined Gov. Ned Lamont at a news conference Monday and said that a hospital bed in Connecticut today is worth two from when the pandemic began in the spring. Then, the average stay for someone admitted with the virus was around 14 days; now, it's only about a week, effectively doubling hospitals' capacity as relates to COVID-19.

The number of positive cases continued to climb dramatically, with the state Department of Public Health reporting another 2,047 since Friday. Murphy said healthcare professionals are predicting the surge won't reach its peak until the middle of January. He cited students returning home from school and people spending more time indoors due to the weather, and gathering for holiday festivities, among the aggravating factors.

Another 12 deaths from the virus were reported over the weekend, bringing the total coronavirus-related death toll to 4,589.

Testing continues at a furious pace, with an additional 92,191 people tested for the virus since Friday. Murphy attributed Connecticut's success managing the surge in part to the state's extensive testing and contact tracing programs.

The towns with the most new coronavirus cases reported over the weekend are:

1. Bridgeport: 156

2. Norwalk: 115

3. New Haven: 112

4. Hartford: 111

5. Waterbury: 84

6. Stamford: 79

7. New Britain: 58

8. New London: 56

9. Danbury: 49

10. West Hartford: 38

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The towns with the most new cases reported over the past week are:

1. Norwalk: 251

2. Bridgeport: 226

3. Hartford: 206

4. Waterbury: 173

5. Stamford: 158

6. Danbury: 151

7. New Haven: 149

8. New London: 102

9. New Britain: 86

10. Norwich: 79