The state said today its Westport COVID-19 case count was up five at 385 (369 confirmed and 16 probable) and deaths unchanged at 23.
Gov. Ned Lamont today defended his decision to proceed with expanding indoor restaurant dining this week, even as Connecticut’s coronavirus numbers remain higher than they were for much of the past few months.
The latest reopening phase, set to begin Thursday, would allow indoor dining at restaurants to increase from 50% to 75% capacity, along with relaxed restrictions on hair salons, barber shops, libraries, places of worship, outdoor concerts and more.
“We just wanted to give our restaurants a little bit of flexibility,” Lamont said. “They’ve been managing very well when it comes to the protocols, and we’re going to stick to that plan.
Lamont announced 823 new COVID-19 cases out of 50,333 tests over the weekend, for a rate of 1.64%. The state’s positivity rate has now risen to 1.6% over the past seven days, up from as low as 0.7% at times over the summer.
Connecticut now has 129 patients hospitalized with COVID-19, a jump from 19 and Friday, and 54 more than last Monday — and the most of any day since June 23. New London County has experienced a particularly significant increase, from two hospitalized patients on Sept. 18 to 26 as of today.
The state recorded four more coronavirus-linked deaths over the weekend, bringing its total to 4,517 during the pandemic.
