CONNECTICUT – 93 additional cases of coronavirus variant B.1.1.7, the so-called UK variant, have been reported in Connecticut.
While the three vaccines currently available to Connecticut residents protect against B.1.1.7, this particular strain is notable for spreading more quickly, as it is more transmissible.
The total number of Connecticut residents who have been infected with the UK variant is 174, in these communities:
- Beacon Falls: 1
- Bloomfield: 1
- Branford: 6
- Bridgeport: 7
- Bristol: 1
- Burlington: 1
- Cheshire: 3
- Cromwell: 1
- East Haven: 5
- Fairfield: 1
- Greenwich: 2
- Guilford: 2
- Hamden: 6
- Madison: 1
- Meriden: 5
- Middlefield: 1
- Middletown: 1
- Naugatuck: 3
- New Britain: 1
- New Hartford: 1
- New Haven: 34
- North Branford: 7
- Northern Canaan: 2
- North Haven: 4
- Norwich: 1
- Oxford: 7
- Potential customer: 1
- Rocky Hill: 2
- Seymour: 2
- Shelton: 1
- Southbury: 2
- Southington: 2
- Stamford: 4
- Stratford: 2
- Thomaston: 2
- Thompson: 1
- Torrington: 1
- Wallingford: 14
- Waterbury: 16
- Watertown: 2
- West Hartford: 1
- West Haven: 10
- Westbrook: 1
- Wethersfield: 1
- Wilton: 1
- Windham: 1
- Wolcott: 1
- Woodbridge: 1
The state Department of Public Health also announced on Friday that four additional cases of B.1.351 – the South African variant – of COVID-19 have been reported in Connecticut. This brings the total number of confirmed cases of this variant across the state to six in the following cities:
- Ansonia: 2
- Danbury: 1
- Greenwich: 1
- New Milford: 2
The Center for Disease Control and Prevention is reporting that, like its UK cousin, the South African variation is no more lethal than COVID-19, but it is more contagious.
General coronavirus hospitalizations continued to decline overnight. Two more beds were vacated Thursday, bringing the total number of Connecticut residents hospitalized with COVID-19 to 381.
The rate of coronavirus daily positivity remained low, at 2.47 percent.
On Monday, 11.59 percent of the state’s population was fully vaccinated against COVID-19. On Friday, Governor Ned Lamont joined these ranks. He received his second dose of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine at Saint Francis Hospital in Hartford.
“I see the receipt of the COVID-19 vaccine as part of my obligation to protect myself, members of my administration and my family,” said Lamont. “As we continue to launch the vaccine, I continue to ask all of our residents to receive the vaccination as soon as they are eligible. These vaccines are safe, effective and will help us get back to normal.”
The governor received his first dose of the vaccine on February 16.
The number of COVID-19 cases increased by 1,185 on Thursday, bringing the total number of cases in Connecticut to 290,577. There were four more deaths associated with COVID-19, totaling 7,765 since the beginning of the pandemic.
See also: “Accept the challenge” from the CT governor to vaccinate all adults by May