Oxford data here: https://portal.ct.gov/Coronavirus
SEYMOUR — A second Seymour resident has died from COVID-19 related complications, Seymour First Selectman Kurt Miller announced Wednesday.
“It is with great sadness that I announce the second death of a Seymour resident from COVID-19,” Miller said in a message to residents. “Our thoughts and prayers go out to both residents’ families during this very difficult time. This is incredibly sad news, but unfortunately, I don’t believe this will be the last time that I will be making an announcement like this.”
Miller’s complete statement is published later in this post.
The Seymour death was one of five COVID-19 related deaths announced Wednesday.
“Today, we have received 24 new cases and 5 new COVID-19 associated deaths bringing our jurisdiction total to 337 and 33, respectively,” Jessica Stelmaszek, of the Naugatuck Valley Health District, said in an email.
“It is evident that we remain in the acceleration phase of the COVID-19 pandemic, meaning we are consistently receiving an increasing number of cases,” Stelmaszek said. “With an increasing number of cases, we can expect that we will continue to see an increase number of COVID-19 related deaths. We expect the Valley cases to continue to rise over the next few days.”
The health district is urging people to:
- Stay home
- If you go out, don’t get closer than six feet to people
- Wear a cloth face covering in public
“To minimize the amount of people who can potentially be exposed, it is a good idea to designate one person per household as the person who will do the grocery shopping or other necessary errands,” Stelmaszek said.
The “deceleration phase” of the pandemic starts once officials start seeing a consistent decrease in cases, according to the health district’s Wednesday statement.
The data for positive COVID-19 tests is as follows (as of Thursday, April 8):
Ansonia: 43 people
Beacon Falls: 14
Derby: 28
Oxford: Click here.
Naugatuck: 54
Seymour: 38 (with two deaths)
Shelton: 160 (with 31 deaths)
Total: 337 positive tests, 33 deaths, 281 negative tests
On Wednesday night, the state re-released a list of nursing homes where residents have tested positive. Locally, they are:
Seymour
Shady Knoll Health Center
Shelton
Apple Shelton Lakes
Bishop-Wicke Health and Rehabilitation
Gardner Heights Health Care Center
Nursing homes and assisted living facilities in Shelton are bearing the brunt of COVID-19 deaths, according to public officials.
Of the 33 deaths locally, 29 were residents of nursing homes or assisted living facilities, according to the Naugatuck Valley Health District.
Fourteen people have died in Shelton since Monday.
The complete April 8 statement from the health district is embedded below. The article continues after the document.
NVHD COVID-19 Case Update – April 8 2020 by The Valley Indy on Scribd
About 23,000 people in the U.S. have contracted the virus and recovered, according to an online tracker by Johns Hopkins University.
According to the Naugatuck Valley Health District, of the 337 confirmed local COVID-19 cases, 32 percent (109 people) are residents in a “nursing home, assisted living facility, group home or other similar setting.”
The health district released a graph Thursday showing the number of laboratory-confirmed cases in Valley nursing homes, assisted living facilities, group homes, and people who may be inpatient at area hospitals.
The graph is embedded below, and shows the impact to facilities in Shelton, where there are more people and more nursing homes than neighboring towns.
Below is a message Seymour First Selectman Kurt Miller sent to residents Wednesday:
This is Seymour First Selectman Kurt Miller with an emergency announcement utilizing the Code Red System. It is with great sadness that I announce the second death of a Seymour resident from COVID-19. Our thoughts and prayers go out to both resident’s families during this very difficult time.
This is incredibly sad news, but unfortunately, I don’t believe this will be the last time that I will be making an announcement like this. Since yesterday, we added 5 new people who have tested positive bringing our total number of infected to 38 people.
The COVID-19 virus remains a rapidly evolving situation and with the availability of multiple different laboratories processing tests, the number of cases is likely to increase. The Town of Seymour will continue to work with the Naugatuck Valley Health District and area hospitals to provide the most up to date information available.
If you think you have been exposed to COVID-19 and develop a fever and symptoms, such as cough or difficulty breathing, call your healthcare provider for medical advice. Please do not show up without calling first.
For general questions about COVID-19, please call 2 – 1‑1. This hotline is accessible 24 hours a day and in multiple languages.
You can also visit www.NVHD.org and www.ct.gov/coronavirus for more information.
I ask that all residents continue to be vigilant about protecting themselves and each other from the virus. Most importantly, please avoid all unnecessary gatherings. If you must go out in public, please adhere to the social distancing recommendations and severely to limit your contact with others.
Again, if you are feeling sick, it is highly recommended that you remain home to avoid spreading the illness. Please reach out via phone, text or email to family and friends who may live alone to make sure they are feeling ok.
We’re all in this together so it’s important that we continue to follow the recommendations that are being put forth by medical professionals. We will get through this, but must continue to be diligent and work to keep ourselves and each other safe. May God bless each and every one of you.
Good night and I wish you and your family safety and good health.
Statewide
On Wednesday, Gov. Ned Lamont ordered all U.S. and State of Connecticut flags to be lowered to half-staff to recognize and mourn “all those who have lost their lives and been affected by COVID-19.”
“The flags will remain lowered throughout the emergency. Accordingly, since no flag should fly higher than the U.S. flag, all other flags – including state, municipal, corporate, or otherwise – should also be lowered during this same duration of time,” according to a statement from the governor’s office.
