Bad Neighborhood: Northeast And CT In New Coronavirus Hot Zone

CONNECTICUT — The state is currently ranked 7th in the U.S. in coronavirus cases per capita, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

The latest data released from the CDC show Connecticut wedged inside a new Northeast hot zone, with neighboring states New York, New Jersey and Rhode Island faring even worse.

The state is reporting a COVID-19 infection rate of 185.4 cases per 100,000 population over the past seven days. By comparison, California is 48.2; New York, 223.7; Massachusetts, 167.2; and Florida 146.2 cases per 100,000 population.

"We're low compared to our neighbors, but we're high compared to the rest of the country," Gov. Ned Lamont said during an interview on WNPR Wednesday morning. But although he was "concerned" about the new negative trends, he believed there were enough residents both vaccinated, soon to be vaccinated, and with the antibody from a previous infection already inside them, there was no cause for alarm.

The number of hospitalizations for COVID-19 continued to climb, by nine beds in the latest report released Wednesday. There are now 412 residents hospitalized with the virus in Connecticut.

The positivity rate has dipped more than a tenth of a point, but is still over 4 percent, according to the Department of Public Health. Positivity is a function of the number of coronavirus tests performed compared to the number of confirmed infections, and has been one of the key metrics for determining when businesses and schools reopened or closed in the state.

Another 1,457 cases of the COVID-19 were confirmed Tuesday, bringing the total in the state to 302,022. The state coronavirus death toll is now 7,852, following the report of seven more fatalities.

See Also: Is A Coronavirus 'Vaccination Passport' In Connecticut's Future?

• America's Best Hospitals: 3 In Connecticut Make The 2021 List
• The Lovely Easter Lily, A Sure Sign Of Spring, Can Kill Your Cat