Essex Is One Of Two Towns In The Yellow Zone For Covid-19 Cases

ESSEX, CHESTER, DEEP RIVER, CT — The number of communities falling within the state's red alert level for coronavirus infections rose by 15 towns this week, two weeks into a new reopening phase that has seen capacity limits for nearly all businesses lifted, however, Essex is in the yellow zone for virus positivity.

Towns fall into the red zone when average daily cases exceed 15 per 100,000 population over a two-week average. There are now 146 of 169 towns still in the red zone, up from 131 in last week's reckoning.

The color codes correspond to guidance from the state Department of Public Health about various activities.
Orange (10-14): Chester, Columbia, East Haddam, East Hampton, Salisbury, Somers, Stonington and Vernon
Yellow (5-9): Essex and Willington
Gray (less than five): Ashford, Canaan, Chaplin, Cornwall, Eastford, Franklin, Hampton, Lyme, Norfolk, North Canaan, Scotland, Sharon and Warren

The coronavirus positivity rate has been about 3.7 percent over the past seven days; the daily rate reported Thursday is 4.45 percent. During a news conference Thursday, Gov. Ned Lamont said he found the "positivity climate going up Metro North" to be "unnerving," and reminiscent of the spread of the virus last seen in the Northeast "exactly a year ago."

Michigan and states in the Northeast dominate when it comes to the number of cases per capita, with the whole region being the nation's new "red zone." Connecticut currently has the 4th highest number of cases per 100,000 population over the past seven days, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Although Connecticut in the top tier of cases per capita, it is 35th when it comes to fatalities per capita.

With reporting from Rich Kirby, Patch Staff.