HARTFORD, Conn. — Officials at UConn Health in Farmington said Sunday that the first patient to have a positive test for COVID-10 has been treated and released to home isolation.
The patient, a man in his 50s, was discharged from the hospital and sent home, where he will be isolated. FOX61 has learned the patient attended a church function with hundreds of people in last few days. This morning, Mayor Luke Bronin said they have started contact tracing.
Officials said all precautions were followed from the time the patient arrived at the ER to the time he was discharged. He spent only one night in the hospital.
Officials said the man had no known contact with an individual who was already known to carry the virus.
Gov. Lamont announced Saturday that the state's total number of positive coronavirus cases is now at 20 and number that grew to 21 by Sunday.
In a release, Lamont confirms that as of 5 p.m., nine additional Connecticut residents tested positive -- including the first cases that have been detected in Hartford and New Haven Counties.
That number did not last long, as late last night, UConn Health confirmed its first case of COVID-19, bringing the total up to 21.
Lamont also signed a third executive order since the enactment of the emergency declarations earlier this week.
The order issued today:
- Relaxes in-person open meeting requirements to minimize large gatherings, with safeguards to provide remote public access;
- Allows pharmacists to compound and sell hand sanitizer;
- Waives requirements for pharmacists to use certain personal protective equipment when working with non-hazardous, sterile compounds;
- Authorizes refunds of liquor permit fees for special events that have since been canceled;
- Waives face-to-face interview requirements for Temporary Family Assistance;
- Authorizes the Commissioner of Early Childhood to waive certain licensing and other requirements to maintain and increase the availability of childcare; and
- Authorizes the Office of Health Strategy to waive Certificates of Need and other requirements to ensure adequate availability of healthcare resources and facilities.
A county-by-county breakdown of the positive cases is as follows:
- Fairfield County: 15
- Hartford County: 1
- Litchfield County: 3
- New Haven County: 1
“The number of cases announced today reinforces for us what we knew was already going to happen: this virus is spreading and it is here in Connecticut,” Governor Lamont said. “I urge all of my fellow residents to take preventative measures like limiting large gatherings and keeping a safe social distance. Our state has taken critical measures to maximize public health and those steps will continue.”
