CT Coronavirus Updates: 23,100 Positive Cases, 1,639 Total Deaths

CONNECTICUT — The number of confirmed positive coronavirus cases in Connecticut has now reached 23,100, and 1,639 deaths reported along with 1,947 hospitalizations currently.

The latest daily numbers show a mixed bag of news. The good news is that the number of hospitalizations declined by 25 in the past day but the number of deaths rose by 95 and the confirmed positive cases rose by 631.

Gov. Ned Lamont said the death rate is not going down but the new hospitalizations data reveals the curve is flattening in Fairfield and New Haven county and the numbers declined a bit today in Hartford County. He said Hartford County cases had been rising significantly recently but in the past day that trend has slowed.

Hartford Courant reporter mourned

During the news briefing, Lamont said award-winning journalist Josh Kovner, a long-time Hartford Courant reporter had died. According to his staff bio, Kovner was part of the Pulitzer-winning team coverage of the Lottery shootings, and of the Pulitzer-finalist team coverage of the Sandy Hook school shootings.

"I knew the man, the work he did and we'll remember him," Lamont said.

Hartford Courant Publisher Andrew Julien said on Twitter that the paper "lost a cherished colleague today with the unexpected passing of Josh Kovner. Josh was a brilliant storyteller who used his position to investigate wrongdoing and speak for those whose voices weren’t always heard. We will miss him greatly."

The Hartford Courant Guild said, "We learned today that our dear friend and colleague Josh Kovner has died. A @hartfordcourant reporter for 24 years, Josh was a fierce journalist and dedicated teacher, the perennial voice of the voiceless and advocate of the underdog. Our hearts are with his family."

Here is a county-by-county breakdown of confirmed cases, deaths and hospitalizations:

• Fairfield County 10,008 cases; 615 deaths; 730 hospitalizations
• Hartford County 4.303 cases; 469 deaths; 490 hospitalizations
• Litchfield County 751 cases; 66 deaths; 22 hospitalizations
• Middlesex County 545 cases; 57 deaths; 38 hospitalizations
• New Haven County 6,064 cases; 372 deaths; 626 hospitalizations
• New London County 419 cases; 17 deaths; 31 hospitalizations
• Tolland County 359 cases; 33 deaths; 6 hospitalizations
• Windham County 129 cases; 4 deaths; 4 hospitalizations

Pending address validation 522 cases; 6 deaths.

Of the 1,639 reported deaths across Connecticut, 915 involve people over the age of 80; 366 between the ages of 70 and 79; 228 between the ages of 60 and 69; 75 between the ages of 50 and 59; 30 between the ages of 40 and 49; 15 between the ages of 30 and 39; 4 between the ages of 20 and 29; one between the ages of 10 and 19; and one between the ages of zero and ten.

See also: Refrigeration Unit At Funeral Home Draws Complaints

• Convenience Store Owner Busted Over Fake Tests: PD
• Obituary: Staple Of Connecticut Community Dies Of Coronavirus

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Town-by-town confirmed positive coronavirus cases: