BRIDGEPORT, Conn. — In less than 24 hours, another hospital employee tested positive for Coronavirus.
This time, it was a Bridgeport Hospital physician. This person lives in New York and not Connecticut.
Hospital officials along with Governor Ned Lamont held a news conference to discuss this further.
This was the second case tied to Connecticut.
On Friday night, an employee with Danbury and Norwalk Hospital tested positive. That person is also from New York and is currently in self-quarantine.
Commissioner Renee Coleman-Mitchell reassured everyone there has not been a case of COVID-19 detected yet in Connecticut.
"We have been preparing for this for a very long time for the past several months. we're more than prepared with regards to the state working with Bridgeport Hospital," said Coleman-Mitchell with the Connecticut Department of Public Health.
Coleman-Mitchell added in the state public health lab, 21 patients have tested negative. As of right now, nine patients are being tested and three of them are from Danbury and Norwalk Hospital.
According to the governor, the risk to patients and staff remain low. Patients at Bridgeport Hospital are being closely monitored and isolated until recommendations from the CDC are given otherwise.
"This physician was working over the past weekend and at that time, was not symptomatic at all, was not feeling ill and because of that, there are not any exposures here at our institution," said Dr. Richard Martinello, Yale Infection Prevention Medical Director.
Residents are urged to continue taking important precautions such as: avoid shaking hands, wash your hands for 20 seconds, stay home if you are sick and avoid those who are sick.
"Just take the necessary precautions and be thoughtful. if you have a cough, cough in your sleeve. wash the hands, I'm doing some fist bumps and the elbow. if traveling isn't essential, don't travel," said Governor Lamont.
The state is also working with lawmakers to conduct faster testing to get faster results.
"It should not be a cause of panic. we need to know who is infected. it's like a fire. you need to put it out in the beginning," said Senator Richard Blumenthal.
