New London County At 'High' Risk For COVID-19 Transmission: CDC

NEW LONDON, CT — New London County has been upgraded to the “high" risk level for community transmission of the coronavirus by the Centers for Disease Control, officials announced Tuesday.

New London is the third county in the state to be upgraded to the “high transmission” category. Late last week, New Haven and Hartford counties were listed as high transmission—the other five Connecticut counties are still classified by the CDC as being in the “substantial transmission” category.

The high transmission category—which is the most severe as defined by the CDC—is 100 or more cases per 100,000 people or a positivity rate of 10 percent or higher over the past seven days.

The substantial transmission category is 50 to 100 cases per 100,000, or a positivity rate between 8 and 10 percent over the past seven days.

“With the ongoing rapid increase in cases of COVID-19 in the state over the last 14 days due to the spread of the Delta variant, the Connecticut Department of Public Health strongly recommends that ALL CONNECTICUT residents over age 2 years, whether vaccinated or unvaccinated, return to wearing masks when in indoor public spaces,” officials wrote in a news release. “Vaccinated and unvaccinated individuals at high risk for complications from COVID-19, including those with compromised immune systems, diabetes, asthma, other lung diseases, pregnancy or obesity, should also avoid large indoor gatherings that may include a mix of vaccinated and unvaccinated individuals.

“Vaccination remains the most important defense against illness and hospitalization from COVID-19. So-called ‘vaccine breakthrough’ cases have occurred in Connecticut, but they remain rare, and the vast majority of hospitalizations and deaths in Connecticut and around the country are in unvaccinated individuals. DPH strongly recommends that unvaccinated individuals get vaccinated as soon as possible to help stop the ongoing spread of the Delta variant.”