Coronavirus In CT: 3rd Person Tests Positive

HARTFORD, CT — A third Connecticut resident tested positive for coronavirus, state officials announced Wednesday, warning the number of cases is expected to significantly increase over the next week.

An elderly man from New Canaan was infected through community transmission, Connecticut Department of Public Health epidemiologist Dr. Matthew Cartter said. The man is being treated at Norwalk Hospital. Previously, a Wilton man and a Bethlehem woman tested positive for the coronavirus. Two New York residents who worked at hospitals in Danbury, Norwalk and Bridgeport also tested positive for the virus.

Cartter said the virus is spreading and soon there will be "many" cases in the area where the state borders Westchester County in New York. A containment area was established in New Rochelle, New York, identified as a coronavirus hot spot, to curb the spread of the virus.

"People go back and forth," Cartter said.

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Haven't 'Seen A Pandemic Like This In 100 Years'

"What we're going through is incredibly difficult," Cartter said. "We've not seen a pandemic like this in 100 years. We've never been through anything quite like this ... crossing the world and now in the U.S. and now in Connecticut ... These are challenging times. But there are things we can do to slow it down."

The New Canaan man lives at home and the state is working with the local heath department to locate his contacts and to tell them to stay at home or get tested of they are ill.

Cartter said that "within a week there will be so many cases" that there will no longer be daily press briefings. And, he said the number of cases will be higher in the southwestern part of the state where it borders Westchester County.

"It will only be a matter of time before this will be widespread through Connecticut," Cartter said. "If you have fever and cough, assume you have COVID, especially in that part of the state."

He said testing is only being done on those who are hospitalized for acute respiratory illnesses that come with fever, shortness of breath and coughing.

Cartter spoke during a news conference with Josh Gabelle, the state's chief operating officer.

Meanwhile, there continues to be a global shortage of personal protective equipment for health care workers and others who need to be in the presence of someone who may be infected with COVID-19. The state has made an emergency request from the Strategic National Supply for a total of 540,000 additional N-95 protective masks.

Connecticut coronavirus testing sites to be announced in days

Cartter said the state lab has tested 74 people so far, with the three positive cases and 16 pending.

To make testing more widely available, the state health department is working on getting alternate sites approved at local hospitals at locations around the state. Those hospitals will work with commercial testing labs run by Quest Diagnostics and LabCorp. Additional information on these testing sites are expected to be announced in the coming days.

Individuals who believe they might be experiencing COVID-19 symptoms such as fever, cough, or difficulty breathing should first contact a health care provider for screening, unless in need of emergency medical care. The health care provider will advise the patient on whether a test is recommended.

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Gov. Ned Lamont declares state of emergency

The World Health Organization declared coronavirus a pandemic Wednesday. The pandemic declaration refers to the scope of the new coronavirus — but not its severity — and means it has become a "worldwide spread of a new disease.”

During a news conference Tuesday, Connecticut Gov. Ned Lamont and state and local public health officials provided updates on the state's coronavirus preparedness and response efforts at the State Emergency Operations Center in Hartford.

Lamont declared a state of emergency, which is used when there's a disaster. That happens in the case of hurricanes, for example. Since 2011, there have been five such declarations in Connecticut and all were weather-related.

The emergency declaration for coronavirus and its potential impact on public heath is "unprecedented," lawmakers said Wednesday.

How will a state of emergency affect your life?

Every state of emergency is different and may result in different protective actions on behalf of members of the public. During crisis situations it is important stay informed and Patch is here with you.

The emergency declaration could affect travel, schools, businesses and government offices.

What we know so far about the Connecticut coronavirus cases

It was announced Tuesday that the second Connecticut resident to test positive for coronavirus is a woman in her 60s who works in health care at Bridgeport Hospital. She lives in Bethlehem and officials said she came in contact with a student there.

This revelation led to the closure of all Region 14 schools in Woodbury and Bethlehem until the end of the week. A daycare center was also closed. The woman was reported to have acquired the virus while on a trip to Nevada. She was being treated at Bridgeport Hospital.

School officials said the student and the student's family are healthy and self-monitoring in their home for 14 days.

The first resident who tested positive for coronavirus is a middle-age man from Wilton who is being treated at Danbury Hospital. He was reported to have contracted the virus while traveling in California.

Officials said they would not name people who have tested positive and added if individuals want to self-identify, that's up to them.

The second presumptive case of coronavirus in the state was announced Monday. The first case was announced Sunday.

Over the weekend, coronavirus was detected in two health care workers, including a doctor, who live in New Rochelle, New York, and work in Connecticut. New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced Tuesday that a one-mile containment zone will be established in New Rochelle to prevent the virus from spreading beyond the city's borders.

Coronavirus information for Connecticut residents

For the most up-to-date information from state officials on coronavirus, including guidance and other resources, all residents in the state are encouraged to visit ct.gov/coronavirus. Individuals who have general questions that are not answered on the website can also call 2-1-1 for assistance.

The information line is available 24 hours a day and has multilingual assistance and TDD/TTY access for those with a hearing impairment. The hotline only intended to be used by individuals who are not experiencing symptoms but may have general questions related to COVID-19. Anyone experiencing symptoms is strongly urged to contact their medical provider to seek treatment.

Connecticut Insurance Department notifies travel insurers on cancellation requests

Connecticut Insurance Department Commissioner Andrew N. Mais issued a notice on Wednesday to all travel insurers conducting business in Connecticut. The notice instructs insurers to accommodate travel cancellation requests under the terms of the policies, taking into account the seriousness of the circumstances and the emergency declaration issued by Lamont on Tuesday.

Mais recommended that consumers carefully review their travel insurance purchases for upcoming trips and also verify coverage applicability if considering a purchase of travel insurance.