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Sunday COVID-19 Summary

This summary includes the total cases, deaths, and current hospitalizations in our town, county, and state.

The State does not publish any data on Friday, Saturday, or Sunday - so this summary does not include any information collected on Friday, Saturday, or Sunday.

Data from the past three days will be published cumulatively in tomorrow evening’s daily update.

All data comes from Connecticut Open Data portal. Numbers as of 12/24/20:

Westport:

884 positive or probable cases (total)

25 deaths (total)

+39 cases last data week (12/18 - 12/24)

+ 0 deaths last data week (12/18 - 12/24)

Fairfield County:

53,101 positive or probable cases (total)

1,669 deaths (total)

297 currently hospitalized (as of 12/24)

Connecticut:

172,743 positive or probable cases (total)

5,791 deaths (total)

1,200 currently hospitalized (as of 12/24)

State Daily Test Positivity:

5.43% of COVID-19 tests administered came back positive (12/24)

The next update will be published tomorrow evening, and will include all data identified on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday of this weekend.

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Superintendent: 3 News Cases in 3 Schools

According to Westport Public Schools Superintendent Thomas Scarice:

“Dear Westport Families and Staff,

In our efforts to remain transparent with reports of positive Covid-19 cases associated with our schools, we will continue to provide these updates as information is confirmed. As of the time I am writing to you this evening we have 3 newly confirmed cases of COVID-19 that came in last night after my Sunday afternoon message. The reports came from the following schools:

  • Saugatuck Elementary School - 1

  • Bedford Middle School - 1

  • Staples High School - 1

No additional cases were reported today. Those impacted have been notified by school and District officials. As a reminder, families are asked to report positive of COVID-19 cases of students using our reporting voicemail or email regardless of whether the students are in remote or hybrid models of instruction. Please follow this link for more information on reporting.

Respectfully,

 

Thomas Scarice

Superintendent of Schools”

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Ahead of the Holidays: Dr. Gottlieb Discusses COVID-19 Peak, Mutation; State Updates Travel Guidelines

Dr. Scott Gottlieb was interviewed from Westport on Sunday by Face the Nation, as shown by Westport’s Rye Ridge Deli.

Dr. Scott Gottlieb, former FDA Commissioner and current Pfizer Board Member, was virtually interviewed from Westport on Sunday, 12/21/20, on CBS’ Face the Nation. Dr. Gottlieb, a Westport resident, discussed the predicted spike in cases after the holidays and a mutation currently making headlines in London as the United Kingdom locks-down right before Christmas.

Host Margaret Brennan began the question & answer session by asking Dr. Gottlieb what part the holidays may play in the forecasted strain on the system, saying “the CDC is predicting about 75,000 more deaths during the first week of January.” “We'll see it coming out of this holiday.” Gottlieb answered, adding that “It does seem to be the case that we're on track probably to peak in terms of the number of infections somewhere around the first week in January.” but continued to explain that the hospitalizations and deaths may not peak or another three weeks after the peak number of cases due to a delay in hospitalizations and deaths once infected.

The most recent CDC National Ensemble Forecast of Deaths states that “15,800 to 27,700 new deaths likely to be reported in the week ending January 9, 2021.” (CDC.gov)

Gottlieb also reflected back to the 2020 Thanksgiving holiday, which according to the Associated Press, “the 3 million who went through U.S. airport checkpoints from Friday through Sunday [prior to Thanksgiving] marked the biggest crowds since mid-March, when the COVID-19 crisis took hold in the United States.” (DEE-ANN DURBIN, DAVID KOENIG, Associated Press) According to Gottlieb, the Thanksgiving holiday did cause a spike in cases around the US - citing state-by-state analysis that there was “…anywhere between a 10% to a 40% increase in cases off of the baseline...” He explains that this could have been caused by “…the sheer magnitude of the virus building…” but further explains that “…some of that was a consequence of the gatherings as well, which potentiated more spread…”(Dr. Scott Gottlieb, Face the Nation 12/20/20)

When asked about a coronavirus mutation causing panic in the United Kingdom, Gottlieb said “Well, it's probably not more lethal [than the current coronavirus strain], but we don't fully understand its contours.” and continued to explain that the mutation seems “…more contagious. It doesn't seem to be any more virulent, any more dangerous than run of the mill COVID.” (Face the Nation). Susan Hopkins of Public Health England confirmed to the the BBC that data collected on the mutation shows it is 70% more contagious than the current strain (BBC). London, and much of the United Kingdom, has been placed on a lockdown - with non-essential businesses closing their doors, and protocols that mandate only one member of the household is permitted to visit with any person outside of their household, so long as its outdoors. It’s assumed this was designed to allow citizens to continue to care for ill or aging family members, or to deliver gifts for what will be a very different Christmas for Brits. "Given the early evidence we have on this new variant of the virus — the potential risk it poses — it is with a very heavy heart I must tell you we cannot continue with Christmas as planned,” Boris Johnson made in a statement to the country (NPR).

Coinciding the vaccines being rolled out to the nearby area - as near and as recent as Norwalk Hospital employees reportedly being vaccinated against COVID-19 today - Gottlieb ended his interview with the statement that “we should be leaning forward and trying to get as much vaccine out as possible.”

The State of Connecticut updated its travel advisory guidelines over the weekend ahead of the upcoming holidays. The new guidelines state: “Anyone traveling into Connecticut from a state or territory, other than New York, New Jersey, or Rhode Island, or from a country other than the United States, is directed to self-quarantine for a 10-day period from the time of last contact within the identified state or country.” This 10 day quarantine is for all adults and children, but can be avoided “if the Affected Traveler (1) has had a test for COVID-19 in the seventy-two (72) hours prior to arrival in Connecticut or at any time following arrival in Connecticut, (2) the result of such COVID-19 test is negative, and (3) he or she has provided written proof of such negative test result to the Commissioner of Public Health.”

sources:

CBS’ Face the Nation, BBC's Andrew Marr Show, The Associated Press, NPR, State of Connecticut, CDC.gov

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Sunday COVID-19 Summary: Westport Up 43 Cases Last Week

This summary includes the total cases, deaths, and current hospitalizations in our town, county, and state.

The State does not publish any data on Friday, Saturday, or Sunday - so this summary does not include any information collected on Friday, Saturday, or Sunday.

Data from the past three days will be published cumulatively in tomorrow evening’s update.

All data comes from Connecticut Open Data portal. Numbers as of 12/17/20:

Westport:

845 positive or probable cases (total)

25 deaths (total)

+43 cases last data week (12/11 - 12/17)

+ 0 deaths last data week (12/11 - 12/17)

Fairfield County:

50,614 positive or probable cases (total)

1,628 deaths (total)

280 currently hospitalized (as of 12/17)

Connecticut:

162,784 positive or probable cases (total)

5,581 deaths (total)

1,167 currently hospitalized (as of 12/17)

State Daily Test Positivity:

6.85% of COVID-19 tests administered came back positive (12/17)

The next update will be published tomorrow evening, and will include all data identified on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday of this weekend.

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Superintendent: 3 New Cases in 3 Schools

From Westport Public Schools Superintendent Thomas Scarice:

“Dear Westport Families and Staff,

In our efforts to remain transparent with reports of positive Covid-19 cases associated with our schools, we will continue to provide these updates as information is confirmed. As of the time I am writing to you this evening we have 3 newly confirmed cases of COVID-19 from the following schools:

  • Coleytown Elementary School - 1

  • Greens Farms Elementary School - 1

  • Staples High School - 1

 

The three most recent positive cases of Covid-19 involve individuals already quarantining, so there are no additional needs for students or staff to quarantine in the referenced schools.

As a reminder, families are asked to report positive of COVID-19 cases of students using our reporting voicemail or email regardless of whether the students are in remote or hybrid models of instruction. Please follow this link for more information on reporting.

Respectfully,

 

Thomas Scarice

Superintendent of Schools”

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