Health & Fitness
Latest Ridgefield Coronavirus Updates: 4 Dead, 45 Infected
Here are the latest, local updates on how the coronavirus outbreak is impacting Ridgefield.
RIDGEFIELD, CT — A fourth Ridgefielder has died from the new coronavirus, Health Director Ed Briggs confirmed Friday. There are 45 active coronavirus cases in people ranging in age from 19 to 89.
The latest person to die was a resident of Benchmark Senior Living at Ridgefield Crossings on Route 7. The first two Ridgefield men who died from the disease were also residents in the facility.
There are now 16 people with coronavirus residing at Ridgefield Crossings, with the remainder spread throughout town. Ridgefield Crossings reported it's taking safety measures and prohibiting visitors, according to the town's Office of Emergency Management (OEM).
In its latest update, the OEM said that the current number of tests underway indicate that coronavirus cases will continue to rise significantly.
As of Wednesday, 1,012 cases of COVID-19 were reported among Connecticut residents. Cases have been reported in all eight of the state's counties. A total of 125 people were hospitalized and 21 died (13 in Fairfield County, three in Tolland County, two in Hartford County, two in New Haven County and one in Middlesex County), according to the state Department of Public Health. More than 6,500 people have been tested.
Gov. Ned Lamont declared a "Stay Safe, Stay Home" program. All nonessential Connecticut businesses were closed and the governor asked Connecticut residents to limit social gatherings to five people.
The state has a Recovery Bridge Loan Program for businesses or nonprofits with 100 or fewer employees. Details and the application form are available online.
Ridgefield Responds, a charity under the nonprofit Friends of Ridgefield, is now taking donations that will be used towards Ridgefield's recovery efforts and will be used for those unemployed or laid off due to COVID-19 for help with rents and mortgages. Contributions may be sent to:
Friends of Ridgefield –Ridgefield Responds, 400 Main Street, Ridgefield, CT 06877. Be sure to notify employers who sponsor matching contributions.
Ridgefield officials have taken several steps to mitigate the spread of coronavirus. All recreation areas including basketball, tennis, pickle ball and paddle courts are closed. The dog park and all playgrounds are closed. The high school track is available for walking and jogging by individuals practicing social distancing; no group jogging is allowed. The golf course is closed to play but open to walking or hiking, only if social distancing is practiced.
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The Ridgefield Fire and Public Works departments are working as usual. Town buildings are closed to the public. Ridgefield Public Schools are closed until at least April 20, but distance learning continues online. Teachers are available in their "virtual classrooms" from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday through Friday for the duration of the closing.
Police are modifying their response to non-investigative type complaints. The types of complaints that officers will take over the phone are those that do not require an officer to be present. If it is determined that an officer is needed to respond to an incident, they will keep a safe distance away from the public as recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. All fingerprinting, child safety seat installations, and unwanted medication drop off has been suspended until further notice.
The Ridgefield Library is temporarily closed. The library has online resources, including downloadable books, audiobooks, streaming video and music, language learning, and research databases available through its website.
Residents are encouraged to sign up to receive coronavirus messages on the Connecticut Alert website. Those without an email address may use noemail@ridgefield.org.
Live streams with updates from the town's Office of Emergency Management are scheduled for Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays at 4 p.m. on the town website and on Comcast channel 24.
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