Coronavirus (COVID-19) Updates

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Summary for most recent day of reporting in Connecticut

Category Text Total Change Direction Change
Laboratory Confirmed COVID-19 Cases 26,312 +      315
COVID-19 Associated Deaths   2,089 +        77
Patients Currently Hospitalized with COVID-19   1,732        26
Patients Tested for COVID-19 92,745 +   1,999

Charts represent the date the data were reported to the CT DPH.  Cases and deaths are cumulative over time.  Hospitalization data are collected by CT Hospital Association

Source: Department of Public Health Created with Datawrapper

                                                                                                               Total                 Reported

                                                                                                               To Date            Change from

                                                                                                                                         Yesterday

Local Results                                                                                                                  

Westport Residents COVID-19 Positive Reported to the State         233                       + 0

Weston Residents COVID-19 Positive Reported to the State              58                       – 3*

 

*The State Department of Public Health has been making changes to their Corona virus data collection systems. The recent fluctuation in case reports are in part a result of capturing data it was not properly receiving from some private labs, standardization of case definition, and medical reviews of cases and deaths.

A complete listing by town and county of all COVID-19 cases being reported by the Connecticut State Department of Health, and various analyses of those cases, can be found by following this link:

https://portal.ct.gov/-/media/Coronavirus/CTDPHCOVID19summary4282020.pdf?la=enThe

 Data Questions

There have been questions about the number of deaths in our communities and whether or not we are seeing “spikes” in reported cases and deaths.  While the number of cases and associated deaths have increased, the number of hospitalizations has gone down.  All data is preliminary.  As the State points out in yesterday’s daily update, day to day changes reflect newly reported cases, deaths, and tests that occur over previous several days to a week.  It is important to note that reported deaths can lag behind by up to 10 days due to issues with data collection, especially in the early days of the pandemic.  Numbers are subject to change. Associated death numbers may go up or down, as medical providers and epidemiologists continue to refine case definitions and audit autopsy reports.

Our oldest and most medically fragile residents are the most vulnerable to the virus. In Westport specifically, the ages of residents who passed away were all over 61 years old, with the majority over 80 years of age.  Over fifty percent of the recent uptick in mortality is associated with nursing homes. This is in keeping with numbers state-wide and nationally.  This is partly due to the fact that the nursing home residents tend to be elderly and have underlying medical conditions. Additionally, when COVID-19 positive patients are discharged from hospitals and cannot go directly home, they are discharged to nursing homes, where, in some cases, they can possibly relapse and pass.  Addressing issues at nursing homes continues to be a challenge and the Governor has recently called in the National Guard to help.

Early efforts to flatten the curve and protect our communities by social distancing are making a difference.  According to the Connecticut Department of Public Health, Westport and Weston’s case rates (829 and 615, respectively per 100,000) are lower than in a number of our neighboring communities, including Norwalk, Trumbull, Bridgeport, and Stamford.  This is good news. We should continue to follow national and state directives.  Stay safe and stay at home whenever possible. Avoid social gatherings.  Maintain at least a six-foot separation from others and wear a mask or cloth face covering when out in public. We will all get through this by working together.