Coronavirus Danbury: Cases, Deaths, Schools, Nursing Homes

Danbury CT

21 January, 2021

11:49 AM

Description

DANBURY, CT — The daily coronavirus positivity rate in the city dipped below 2 percent this week, but January is still proving to be a wild ride for that and most other pandemic metrics, both locally and statewide. The virus positivity — a function of daily test results versus new cases — climbed to around 19 percent twice in the new year, while managing to hover around half that for most of December. The death toll from the virus has climbed steadily in Danbury since Thanksgiving. Public Health officials accurately predicted that the influx of out-of-state travelers and students for the end-of-year holidays would have an unfortunate effect. In Danbury, 168 residents have died from COVID-19 as of Jan. 19. Coronavirus cases are also trending up in the city, just as the vaccine is becoming more available throughout the state. On the good news side, Connecticut continues to outpace the vast majority of other states in vaccine distribution. Around 213,000 people have received at least their first dose and 25,000 have gotten two doses as of Jan. 20, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The state ranks 4th per capita for the number of people who have received at least one dose and 7th per capita for vaccine doses administered. As of Monday, the state is focusing on distributing the vaccine to residents who are 75 or older. Next in the queue will be those 65 and older, scheduled to begin in early February. Frontline essential workers and people 16 and older with high-risk conditions are projected to begin scheduling appointments in late February or early March. The pandemic has generally been managed effectively in school communities, within Danbury and throughout the state. With the exception of Danbury high School, where members of the community do test positive, the number of cases is six or fewer. The coronavirus struck nursing homes hard at the onset of the pandemic, before public health officials how susceptible the elderly were to the infection and COVID-19 associated deaths. There have been five new cases among residents reported in city nursing facilities during the DPH's most recent reporting period, and one more death. Four staff members also tested positive.