44 Cases Of Coronavirus Reported By Greenwich Hospital

GREENWICH, CT — First Selectman Fred Camillo said 250 people have been tested for the new coronavirus at the Greenwich Hospital's garage site, and 44 have tested positive for the virus as of Thursday morning. Camillo also emphasized that it is not known how many of those positive cases are Greenwich residents, as the hospital also draws many patients from Westchester County, N.Y.

There are currently three patients in the hospital, however the hospital is prohibited from identifying their hometowns, Camillo said. (To sign up for Greenwich breaking news alerts and more, click here.)

On Tuesday, town officials said there are now six confirmed cases of the novel virus, also referred to as COVID-19, reported in Greenwich. COVID-19 is caused by a member of the coronavirus family that's a close cousin to the SARS and MERS viruses that have caused outbreaks in the past.

Yale New Haven Health has established a call center, staffed from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m., to answer any questions on coronavirus, which can be reached at 1-833-ASK-YNHH. Those who want to be tested must call their doctor's office and get a physician order. They will then be instructed on how to make an appointment.

During a press conference held Thursday afternoon, Camillo said the number of positive tests is going to grow, as many may be walking around with the virus but showing no symptoms. He also emphasized that the town is working hard to prevent the virus from spreading by encouraging and, in some cases, enforcing social distancing.

"That number is going to grow exponentially," Camillo said, "but we're just trying to flatten the curve. That's our task, to flatten the curb, and you do that by keeping a distance from everybody, and we are monitoring everything."

Camillo also encouraged residents to take advantage of the town's many parks and recreational facilities, but do so in a safe manner.

"We have beautiful parks and recreational facilities in town, and we want people to enjoy them," Camillo said, "but they need to do so at a distance."

The first selectman recommended residents take advantage of the town's many trails, ride a bicycle or go for walks outside while keeping a safe distance from others and avoiding large groups.

See also: Coronavirus Greenwich: 3 New Confirmed Cases Reported In Town

• Coronavirus Greenwich: Camillo Orders Body Care Facilities Closed

The town's Parks and Recreation Department will also be deploying staff to monitor Greenwich's parks and beaches, Camillo said.

"Many people are home because of the closure of libraries, schools and businesses, providing them the opportunity to use our parks system. I cannot stress strongly enough that while it is advantageous and uplifting to experience nature, this is not an opportunity to gather with family and friends in public spaces," Camillo said in a statement. "If there continues to be an issue with groups gathering in the parks and beaches, I will be forced to make the decision to close all of those facilities as well."