Coronavirus Stamford: City Enforcing 'Social Distancing'

STAMFORD, CT — Stamford officials announced Friday evening the city will be enacting orders to enforce "social distancing" among residents as the state, and the nation, grapples with the new coronavirus. Under these orders, the city is requiring private businesses, including restaurants, bars, hotels and movie theaters, as well religious institutions, to limit their meeting room occupancy by half, officials said.

This will further limit the number of individuals allowed in an enclosed space, as previously determined by Stamford Fire Marshals, officials said. For example, a meeting room with a maximum occupancy of 100 people will be restricted to 50 people.

Additionally, city staff will also be suspending approval of special events exceeding 100 people, officials said. (To sign up for Stamford breaking news alerts and more, click here.)

"It is our responsibility to take necessary precautions to keep our residents safe," Mayor David Martin said in a statement. "We do not take this response lightly. As this emerging health emergency unfolds we may need additional restrictions, or we may learn our current restrictions were unnecessary, but we have a responsibility to the public to move in the right direction for public health safety."

The city's response builds off Governor Ned Lamont's executive order limiting events exceeding 250 attendees and will remain in place until the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention,
Connecticut's Department of Public Health and the city's health department declare the virus, also referred to as the COVID-19 virus, "is no longer an active public health risk," officials said.

"Since the public's heightened concern for COVID-19, Stamford businesses have reported fewer customers," officials said in a statement. "The city recognizes the economic impact of decreased commerce on the business community during this public health emergency. Even so, these mayoral orders are to ensure all businesses continue to prioritize the public’s health as this situation develops."

The mayor's orders will go into effect on Monday, March 16. The city has compiled information, public resources, contact information and announced closures relating to the virus on the city's website.

Across the State

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.

See also: Coronavirus Stamford: First Resident Tests Positive For Virus

During a press conference held late Friday afternoon, state officials announced the number of confirmed cases in Connecticut had hit 11, which included the two Greenwich cases. The other new cases are in Bethlehem, Darien and Westport, state Epidemiologist Dr. Matthew Cartter said during the press conference.

On Sunday, a Wilton resident tested positive for the virus. The second Connecticut resident to test positive is a Bethlehem woman who is a heath care worker at Bridgeport Hospital, officials said.

On Wednesday, state officials announced that an elderly man from New Canaan tested positive for the virus. They also issued a stern warning that the number of cases is expected to significantly increase over the next week.

On Thursday, Greenwich Hospital revealed a New York resident who received treatment in the hospital's emergency department this week has tested positive for the virus. That same day, city officials announced a Stamford resident who recently returned from international travel had tested positive for the virus and was preemptively isolated at Stamford Hospital.

Later on Thursday, a person in Stratford became the fifth Connecticut resident to be diagnosed with the virus. The news came after officials announced earlier in the week that a Wilcoxson Elementary School student had been exposed to the virus and become ill.

On Friday, town officials announced the first confirmed case of the virus discovered in Westport.