Coronavirus West Hartford: First Case Confirmed

WEST HARTFORD, CT — The town of West Hartford has confirmed its first case of the new coronavirus in a resident between the ages of 20 and 30. The West Hartford-Bloomfield Health District cannot disclose the identity or location of the resident due to privacy rules.

The resident will remain in isolation and the Health District will regularly monitor her health and perform contact tracing, in compliance with guidelines issued by the state Department of Public Health. Anyone who has had close contact with the resident will be told to self-quarantine.

"We knew it was only a matter of time before there was a confirmed case in West Hartford, given that community spread has already been established in our region," Mayor Shari Cantor said. "West Hartford is well prepared to deal with the influx of new cases, which is inevitable. We must assume that there are other cases already in our community at this time, and that the number will go up significantly. I am calling on all West Hartford residents to heed instructions by public health officials to ‘flatten the curve’ and slow the spread of the disease."

Aimee Krauss, acting director of the Health District, said, "If you have any symptoms of illness, including fever, cough or shortness of breath, you should not leave home except to receive medical care. Stay in touch with your healthcare provider. Call before you get medical care. Be sure to get care if you feel worse or you think it is an emergency."

There is currently no vaccine or treatment for COVID-19, and so the best way for individuals to protect themselves is to avoid being exposed. This means washing hands frequently, avoiding close contact with other people (within about 6 feet), and not leaving home unless absolutely necessary.