More than eight months after the first coronavirus-related death was reported in Connecticut, the state death toll surpassed 5,000 over the weekend.
By comparison, Connecticut reached 4,000 deaths at the beginning of June. It took nearly six months to reach the next thousand. The state is in the midst of a second wave of COVID-19 and it isn’t expected to peak until mid-January.
Rep. Courtney ends quarantine after positive test
Meanwhile Rep. Joe Courtney, a Democrat from the 2nd District, is heading back to Washington this week. He announced nine days ago that he tested positive after coming into contact with someone who later tested positive. Courtney initially reported mild symptoms while he isolated at home. Courtney said his doctor cleared him to return to work and end his quarantine.
“My experience with COVID-19 was thankfully a relatively mild one, and my family and I are grateful that was the case,” he wrote. “But that has not been the experience of hundreds of thousands of other Americans.”
Courtney is the second member of Connecticut's congressional delegation to catch the coronavirus. Democrat Jahana Hayes, who represents the 5th District, tested positive in September.
- Tucker Ives
Medical professionals call for more restrictions, Lamont resistant
Gov. Ned Lamont says there are no plans at the moment to impose more restrictions on businesses amid rising coronavirus infections and deaths.
The governor's comments on Monday came after nearly three dozen doctors and a nurse urged state officials to close gyms and pause indoor dining to prevent hospitals from becoming overwhelmed.
Lamont says hospital capacity is currently adequate and field hospitals can be set up quickly if needed. New data by the state released Monday showed 59 more people in the state died since Friday, pushing total deaths to 5,020 since the pandemic began.
- Associated Press
