Gov. Ned Lamont said that there were 27,015 COVID-19 tests administered in Connecticut on Wednesday, Feb. 17, resulting in 547 positive cases for a 2.02 percent positivity rate, one of the lowest since before Thanksgiving.
Twenty new virus-related deaths were reported, bringing the total to 7,496 since the pandemic began. Sixteen more COVID-19 patients were discharged from Connecticut hospitals, bringing the total to 568 still being treated.
There have now been a total of 271,903 COVID-19 cases confirmed statewide since March out of nearly 6.4 million tested.
As of Thursday, Feb. 18, Connecticut has administered 504,129 first doses of the vaccine, and 242,759 second doses - 746,888 total - making the state third in the nation for vaccine distribution.
Lamont said that the state is receiving 69,000 COVID-19 vaccination first doses this week for more than 300,000 Connecticut residents who will be newly eligible.
According to Lamont, 68 percent of residents over the age of 75 have received at least one dose of the vaccine, while 29 percent of those between the ages of 65 and 74 have been vaccinated.
Lamont also made note that Connecticut is the first state in the country to get shots in the arms of all staff and residents in nursing homes who wished to be vaccinated. He said that in slightly more than a month, the cases among nursing homes dropped dramatically from 483 to 30.
The latest breakdown of confirmed and probable COVID-19 cases in Connecticut, by county, according to the state Department of Health on Feb. 18:
- Fairfield: 77,597;
- New Haven: 68,795;
- Hartford: 68,159;
- New London: 18,529;
- Litchfield: 10,765;
- Middlesex: 10,044;
- Windham: 8,974;
- Tolland: 7,565;
- Unknown: 928.
A complete list of cases, by communities, can be found here by clicking and scrolling down
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