Coronavirus In CT: No Infections 'Yet' But 'Surrounded' By Cases

HARTFORD, CT —Gov. Ned Lamont said that "so far, there's no sign of infection," but noted that "we're surrounded by states that do" have confirmed cases.

In New York, 22 cases have been confirmed, Massachusetts has four and Rhode Island has two confirmed cases, as of Friday morning.

Lamont reiterated in a media briefing at St. Francis Hospital Friday morning that the state is hoping for the best and preparing for the worst. He said testing is key.

Lamont said the state is "ramping up" testing for those who have respiratory health issues among other populations that are vulnerable.

The state health lab and soon hospitals will expand testing, Lamont said. Private labs Quest Diagnostics and LabCorp announced they are rolling out testing, officials said at the briefing.

In Connecticut, on Thursday the state Department of Public Health said its laboratory in Rocky Hill conducted 18 tests on Connecticut residents for coronavirus. As of Thursday, 14 have came back negative. It was also reported that 200 people are being monitored and asked to self-quarantine.

State Epidemiologist Dr. Matthew Carter cautioned state legislators at a hearing Friday that the road going forward won't be easy, but that the U.S. has survived a handful of pandemics before including influenza pandemics in 2009, 1968 and 1957.

"It will feel a lot like a really bad flu season and it will last for three to four months in any one place, maybe two to three months, we really don’t know for certain," he said.

Current data suggests that more than 80 percent of people infected with the new coronavirus will not get seriously ill and won't require hospitalization, Carter said. It also appears that children are much less likely to develop severe illness, however, they could play a big role in disease transmission by infecting family members.

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According to Johns Hopkins University, which complies data hourly on COVID-19 from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the World Health Organization and others, as of Friday early afternoon, there were 241 confirmed cases in the United States, 14 have died and of those diagnosed with the disease, eight people have recovered. There have been 101,583 confirmed cases globally in more than 90 countries with 3,460 deaths. Around 55,000 people with the new coronavirus have recovered. Note that these figures change hourly.

Trinity Health of New England says it's ready: "....when uncertainty and fear ...we have a great way here of using science to discern through the facts and instill facts." Representatives from Trinity Health said its supply chain of protective equipment and similar supplies are not affected

Governor Asked CDC For More Testing Kits, Some Insurance Waive Testing Co-Pays

Thursday, Lamont sent a letter to CDC chief to ask for more coronavirus testing kits"to comply with new federal guidance for clinicians on which patients should be tested."

The state health department got testing kits for just 500 people. Lamont said he was concerned that new CDC testing guidance casts a broader net on the population of patients who should be tested and will result in a shortage of kits in the state.

Currently, the state lab has capacity to test specimens from approximately 500 individuals and priorities for testing are focused on patients hospitalized with symptoms so the state's acute care hospitals can care for those patients. Lab testing capacity will be greatly expanding in Connecticut soon with the help of private sector labs, and testing capacity at the state's hospitals is expected to be available within the next two weeks.

Read more here.

Meanwhile, CVS Health announced Friday morning that insurer Aetna will waive co-pays for coronavirus testing, for the next 90 days, it will offer zero co-pay telemedicine visits for any reason, members who are diagnosed with COVID-19 will receive a care package, and the insurer says it will "proactively reach out to members most at-risk for COVID-19."

Coronvirus Travel Cautions

On Wednesday, Lamont urged people to follow the travel guidance from the CDC in light of the continued spread of COVID-19.

"Anyone who is planning travel, particularly internationally, is strongly urged to follow the CDC's ongoing guidance and take it seriously," Lamont said.

The CDC advised anyone who has recently returned from China, Iran, Italy or South Korea to self-monitor in their homes for 14 days upon returning to the U.S. Anyone who returned from Japan should limit their interactions with others for 14 days after returning to the U.S., the CDC said.
The CDC also recommends travelers avoid all nonessential travel to countries designated as Level 2 and Level 3.

Level 3 countries are experiencing widespread community transmission of respiratory illness caused by COVID-19 so the CDC says travelers should avoid all nonessential travel to those countries.

Guidance for travelers is posted on the CDC's website and continues to be updated as needed.

List Of Disinfectants To Fight Virus Released By EPA

The federal Environmental Protection Agency has published a list of the disinfectant products that are approved for use against for new coronavirus.

As residents prepare for the spread of the virus, the EPA's list may help communities and families disinfect surfaces with products the federal agency says fight coronavirus.

Many of the brands listed are not commonly known and others are household names like Clorox and Lysol.

The EPA says these products, used for surface cleaning, are the best bet and safe for household use. The EPA says that, "Coronaviruses are enveloped viruses, meaning they are one of the easiest types of viruses to kill with the appropriate disinfectant product."

Read more here.

Older Adults, People With Chronic Medical Issues May Be At Increased Risk For Severe Disease

Illness from this virus has ranged from mild to severe. Signs and symptoms of infection include fever, cough, and difficulty breathing. This new coronavirus has caused severe disease and death in patients who developed pneumonia. Risk factors for severe illness are not yet clear, although older adults and those with chronic medical conditions may be at higher risk for severe illness.
Everyone – regardless of whether they have recently traveled – should continue following some basic steps to protect themselves from coronavirus:
· Wash hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds. If soap and water are not available, use alcohol-based sanitizer.
· Avoid shaking hands as a greeting.
· Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth with unwashed hands.
· Avoid close contact with people who are sick.
· Stay home when you are sick.
· Cover your cough or sneeze with a tissue, then throw the tissue in the trash.
· Clean and disinfect frequently touched objects and surfaces.
People who have recently traveled to China, South Korea, Iran, Italy and Japan and are feeling sick should:
· Call ahead before visiting a doctor's office or emergency room;
· Tell the doctor about recent travel and the symptoms being experienced;
· Avoid contact with others; and
· Do not travel while sick.
Symptoms of coronavirus can include:
· Fever (100.4°F/38°C or higher)
· Cough
· Shortness of breath

Everything you need to know about COVID-19 from how it spreads to how to prepare your family and home, visit the CDC's dedicated coronoavirus site here.

Additional reporting by Rich Scinto, Patch Staff