Category Archives: COVID-19

COVID-19 Update: 16 Confirmed Cases in Old Lyme in Past Week, Three in Lyme

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Old Lyme’s Total Cumulative COVID-19 Cases Now 1,418, Lyme’s Equivalent Number is 342

Photo by CDC on Unsplash.

LYME/OLD LYME — The latest COVID-19 case count reported by the Connecticut Department of Public Health (dated Saturday, Aug. 6) shows 1,418 cases for Old Lyme and 342 for Lyme. These numbers have increased from our last report on Friday, July 29, by 16 cases in Old Lyme and three cases in Lyme.

Connecticut’s Positivity Rate was 11.79% on July 29 but has now risen to 11.92% as the increased infection rates of Omicron BA.4 and BA.5 make their mark.

The cumulative total of COVID-19-related fatalities in Connecticut rose from 11,102 on July 29, to 11,139 on Aug. 6, meaning a further 37 residents had died during that period.

Visit this link to view additional historical data and detailed graphics on COVID-19 vaccination levels and positive cases in Lyme and Old Lyme. The site is updated by Old Lyme resident William Fitzgerald.

COVID-19 Update: 14 Confirmed Cases in Old Lyme This Week, Three in Lyme

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Old Lyme’s Total Cumulative COVID-19 Cases Now 1402, Lyme’s Equivalent Number is 339

LYME/OLD LYME — The latest CT DPH COVID-19 case count (dated July 28) shows 1402 cases for Old Lyme and 339 for Lyme. These numbers have increased from our last report on Monday, July 25, by 14 and three cases respectively.

Connecticut’s Positivity Rate was 11.09% on July 25 but has now risen to 11.79% as the increased infection rates of Omicron BA.4 and BA.5 make their mark.

Visit this link to view additional historical data and detailed graphics on COVID-19 vaccination levels and positive cases in Lyme and Old Lyme. The site is updated by Old Lyme resident William Fitzgerald.

COVID-19 Update: 52 Cases Confirmed in Past 28 Days in Old Lyme, Eight in Lyme Over Same Period

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This map shows the distribution of COVID-19 cases by town for the past seven days. To protect confidentially, the data in towns with fewer than five (5) cases or five (5) positive NAAT tests in the past seven (7) days are suppressed. Map from CT DPH — see details regarding how to access the map in the text below.

Old Lyme’s Total Cumulative COVID-19 Cases Now 1388, Lyme’s Equivalent Number is 336

LYME/OLD LYME — We have not issued a COVID-19 update since June 29, 2022, which coincided with the Connecticut Department of Health (CT DPH) significantly changing its COVID reporting structure on June 27, which included no longer issuing details of towns in the established red, orange, yellow and gray zones.

The CT DPH stated that in its efforts to “update and streamline the reporting of COVID-19 cases, deaths, and testing data … As of 6/27/2022, the data will be published in four tables instead of 12.” At that time, it seemed case numbers were falling but, in fact, the state’s Positivity Rate had already begun to rise from its 2022 low of 7.52% on June 20 to 8.67% on June 27.

On June 27, Old Lyme reported a cumulative total of 1336 cases while Lyme’s total was 328.

Today (Monday, July 25), Old Lyme’s total has risen to 1388 reflecting an increase of 52 cases in 28 days whereas Lyme’s total has only increased to 336, showing eight new cases in the same period.

The map above shows CT DPH’s new map reporting COVID-19 cases in the past seven days, which is now updated daily on a rolling basis. On the map above dated July 22, Old Lyme is shown as having 11 cases in the past seven days while Lyme’s number is suppressed as it is less than five. The original of the map is at this link (scroll down to reach section titled COVID-19 Cases and Tests by Town) and is interactive in that one can click on each town to view that town’s data, but be aware it will change later today when new data is issued.

As previously stated, Connecticut’s Positivity Rate was 8.67% on June 27, but now that has risen to 11.09% with the rising dominance of Omicron BA.4 and BA.5.

Visit this link to view additional historical data and detailed graphics on COVID-19 vaccination levels and positive cases in Lyme and Old Lyme. The site is updated by Old Lyme resident William Fitzgerald.

There have been no additional fatalities in Lyme or Old Lyme since Feb. 4, 2022, when the death of an Old Lyme resident was reported. No details of the individual’s age or gender were made available.

On Nov. 21, 2021, the death of a Lyme resident — a 57-year-old male — was reported

A total of three COVID-related fatalities were reported in Old Lyme in 2020 and 2021. The first two, which were reported in 2020, were a 61-year-old female and an 82-year-old male. The third fatality also occurred in 2021, but no details were made available.

June 21-27 COVID-19 Update: Lyme Falls to Lowest Case Rate Zone with One New Case; Old Lyme Now in Yellow Zone, Reports 11 New Cases Since 6/20

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Cumulative Totals Rise to 1336 in Old Lyme, 328 in Lyme

LYME/OLD LYME — The Daily Data Reports issued Tuesday, June 21, through Monday, June 27, by the Connecticut Department of Public Health (CT DPH) show a total of 11 new, confirmed COVID-19 cases in Old Lyme and also one in Lyme compared with June 20 numbers. Note: The link above is always to the most recent day of CT DPH reports.

These cases raise Old Lyme’s cumulative case total to 1336 from 1325 on June 15 and Lyme’s to 328 from 327 on the same date.

The state does not issue reports over weekends.

The cases by town were as follows:

Lyme
6/21: 1
6/22: 0
6/23: 0
6/24: 0
6/27: 0

Old Lyme
6/21: -1
6/22: 2
6/23: 0
6/24: 3
6/27: 7

June 23 now stands as the most recent day on which no new cases were reported in either town.

Prior to March 25, the Town of Lyme had gone for 23 consecutive days with no new cases being reported. Two new cases were reported in Lyme on March 25.

Visit this link to view additional historical data and detailed graphics on COVID-19 vaccination levels and positive cases in Lyme and Old Lyme. The site is updated by Old Lyme resident William Fitzgerald

Statewide Situation – Weekly Update

On Thursday, June 23, the CT DPH also released its latest weekly COVID-19 Alert Map, shown above, which indicates that 98 municipalities remain in the Red (highest of four) Zone for case rates. Lyme is in the lowest (Gray) zone and Old Lyme in the lowest but one (Yellow) zone.

Thirty-three towns are in the Orange Zone, 12 in the Yellow Zone and 16 in the Gray Zone.

This number for the Red Zone is 11 less than for the previous week meaning the number of towns in the Red Zone  now represents 57.9% of the state.

As a reminder, the number of towns in the Red Zone on Jan. 27, 2022 was 168 out of 169 towns.

The CT DPH will issue an updated map of the zones Thursday, June 30 — the map is updated weekly on Thursdays.

The color-coded zones on the map above are:

Red: Indicates case rates over the last two weeks of greater than 15 per 100,000 population
Orange: Indicates case rates between 10 to 14 cases per 100,000 population
Yellow: Indicates case rates between 5 and 9 per 100,000 population
Gray: Indicates case rates lower than five per 100,000 population

CDC Maintains ‘Community Level’ at Low for New London County, Fairfield County Also Low; All Other CT Counties are ‘Medium’

The map above shows that on June 23, New London County remains categorized as ‘Low’ for Community Level along with Fairfield, Hartford, Tolland and Windham Counties, while New Haven, Middlesex and Litchfield Counties are ‘Medium.’ These levels are updated weekly by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) on Thursdays.

Community Levels can be low, medium, or high and are determined by looking at hospital beds being used, hospital admissions, and the total number of new COVID cases in a specific geographical area. CDC recommends taking precautions to protect yourself and others from COVID based on Community Levels in your area.

You can view the new tool by following this link: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/your-health/covid-by-county.html

LLHD continues to focus its vaccination efforts on homebound populations and providing initial vaccinations and boosters to individuals who were vaccinated previously. Information about vaccination opportunities can be found at https://llhd.org/coronavirus-covid-19-situation/covid-19-vaccine/.

COVID testing opportunities can be found at COVID-19 Testing | Ledge Light Health District (llhd.org)

The following link provides centralized access to Connecticut COVID data: https://data.ct.gov/stories/s/COVID-19-data/wa3g-tfvc/.

An explanation of the CDC Community Levels tool by Thomas Gotowka can be found at this link.

Statewide Situation – Daily Update

The state’s COVID-19 Daily Positivity Rate broke the 10% watershed on May 4 at 10.32%. It went through the 14% mark with the May 20 Rate of 14.19%, but the June 27 Positivity Rate has fallen to  8.67%. 

On June 27, the number of COVID-related hospitalizations was 245. In contrast, on Jan. 12, 2022, the number of COVID-related hospitalizations was 1,939.

Of those hospitalized on June 27, the number not fully vaccinated was 80 (representing 32.65%).

The total number of COVID-related deaths in Connecticut was 11,034 on June 27, according to The New York Times.

The next Daily Data Report will be issued by CT DPH Wednesday, June 29, around 4 p.m.

Increase in Cases in Lyme & Old Lyme Since August 2021

The cumulative total of confirmed cases for Old Lyme has now increased by 893 since Wednesday, Nov. 10, when the total stood at 443 — that number had stood unchanged for a week since the previous Thursday, Nov. 4.

On Aug. 26 — which was the day Lyme-Old Lyme Schools started the new academic year — Old Lyme’s cumulative case total stood at 372, meaning there have now been 964 new cases there since that date.

Meanwhile, Lyme’s cumulative total on Aug. 26 was 114 indicating 214 new cases have also been confirmed there during the same period.

Fatalities Due to COVID-19 in Lyme, Old Lyme

There has been one COVID-related fatality of a Lyme resident: a 57-year-old male passed away Nov. 16, 2021. On Nov. 30, the state finally included this fatality in its data

Four COVID-related fatalities have now been reported in Old Lyme. The first two fatalities from Old Lyme, which were reported in 2020, were a 61-year-old female and an 82-year-old male.

Details of the third and fourth fatalities, which were reported respectively in 2021 and on Feb. 4, 2022, have not been made available.

COVID-19 Situation in LOL Schools

Lyme-Old Lyme Schools are now on summer recess and so there will be no further reporting from LOL Schools until late August.

Details published between April 1, when Gov. Lamont said schools were no longer required to report positive cases, show the following number of positive cases reported in LOL Schools by week.
April 3-9: 0
April 10-16: 0
April 17-23: Spring Break
April 24-30: 7
May 2-7: 27
May 8-14: 41
May 15-21: 30
May 22-28: 23
May 29-June 4: 55
June 5-June 11: 19
June 12-June 18: 4

For a summary of cases in LOL Schools between Jan. 1 and March 31, 2022, visit this link.

View a full listing of cases in LOL Schools between 8/26/21 – 12/23/21 at this link.

June 16-20 COVID-19 Update: Number of CT Towns in Red Zone Falls to 65%; 10 New Cases in Old Lyme Over Three Days, Three in Lyme

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This map, updated June 16, 2022 shows the average daily rate of new cases of COVID-19 by town during the past two weeks. Both Lyme and Old Lyme remain in the Red (highest) Zone. One hundred and nine towns (representing a total of 64.5% of the state) remain in the Red Zone. Only cases among persons living in community settings are included in this map; the map does not include cases among people who reside in nursing home, assisted living, or correctional facilities. Map: Ver 12.1.2020 Source: CT Department of Public Health Get the data Created with Datawrapper.

Cumulative Totals Rise to 1325 in Old Lyme, 327 in Lyme

LYME/OLD LYME — The Daily Data Reports issued Thursday, June 16, Friday, June 17, and Monday, June 20, by the Connecticut Department of Public Health (CT DPH) show a total of 10 new, confirmed COVID-19 cases in Old Lyme and also three in Lyme compared with June 15 numbers. Note: The link above is always to the most recent day of CT DPH reports.

These cases raise Old Lyme’s cumulative case total to 1325 from 1315 on June 15 and Lyme’s to 327 from 324 on the same date.

The state does not issue reports over weekends.

The cases by town were as follows:

Lyme
6/16: 0
6/17: 2
6/20: 1

Old Lyme
6/16: 3
6/17: 2
6/18: 5

Therefore June 9 still stands as the first day since April 5, 2022 on which no new cases were reported in either town.

Prior to April 5, the previous day on which no new cases were reported in either Lyme or Old Lyme was March 24. There were also no new cases on March 9 and 4, and Feb. 24. The previous date prior to Feb. 24 when no new cases were reported in either town was Dec. 12, 2021.

Prior to March 25, the Town of Lyme had gone for 23 consecutive days with no new cases being reported. Two new cases were reported in Lyme on March 25.

Visit this link to view additional historical data and detailed graphics on COVID-19 vaccination levels and positive cases in Lyme and Old Lyme. The site is updated by Old Lyme resident William Fitzgerald

Statewide Situation – Weekly Update

On Thursday, June 9, the CT DPH also released its latest weekly COVID-19 Alert Map (pictured at the head of this article), which indicates that 109 municipalities remain in the Red (highest of four) Zone for case rates. These towns in the Red Zone include both Lyme and Old Lyme.

Thirty-eight towns are in the Orange Zone, eight in the Yellow Zone and 14 in the Gray Zone.

This number for the Red Zone is 40 less than for the previous week meaning the number of towns in the Red Zone  now represents 64.5% of the state.

As a reminder, the number of towns in the Red Zone on Jan. 27, 2022 was 168 out of 169 towns.

As of June 16, 2022, six of the nine towns in the Ledge Light Health District (LLHD) remain in the Red Zone. North Stonington, Stonington, and New London have moved into the Orange Zone. The LLHD is no longer issuing reports with updated Case Rates and other metrics.

The CT DPH will issue an updated map of the zones Thursday, June 23 — the map is updated weekly on Thursdays.

The color-coded zones on the map above are:

Red: Indicates case rates over the last two weeks of greater than 15 per 100,000 population
Orange: Indicates case rates between 10 to 14 cases per 100,000 population
Yellow: Indicates case rates between 5 and 9 per 100,000 population
Gray: Indicates case rates lower than five per 100,000 population

CDC Maintains ‘Community Level’ at Low for New London County, Fairfield County Also Low; All Other CT Counties are ‘Medium’

June 16 Community Transmission levels. Map courtesy of CDC.

The map above shows that on June 16, New London County remains categorized as ‘Low’ for Community Level, while all other counties are ‘Medium.’ These levels are updated weekly by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) on Thursdays.

The most recent email sent out by Ledge Light Health District regarding COVID data, which was sent out Friday, May 27, said, “Community members are advised to stay up to date with COVID-19 vaccines, get tested if they have symptoms, and wear a mask when they are around others if they have symptoms, are positive or have had an exposure.”

It added, “People with symptoms should be tested and people with a positive test should isolate per guidelines. Masking remains an effective method for reducing the spread of COVID-19 and people may choose to mask even though our region is not designated as “High.””

The email concluded, “You can find the latest CDC Community Level, schedules of vaccination clinics and community testing events, and isolation/quarantine guidance on our website and, as always, we are here to answer any questions or provide support for community members.

Community Levels can be low, medium, or high and are determined by looking at hospital beds being used, hospital admissions, and the total number of new COVID cases in a specific geographical area. CDC recommends taking precautions to protect yourself and others from COVID based on Community Levels in your area.

You can view the new tool by following this link: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/your-health/covid-by-county.html

LLHD continues to focus its vaccination efforts on homebound populations and providing initial vaccinations and boosters to individuals who were vaccinated previously. Information about vaccination opportunities can be found at https://llhd.org/coronavirus-covid-19-situation/covid-19-vaccine/.

COVID testing opportunities can be found at COVID-19 Testing | Ledge Light Health District (llhd.org)

The following link provides centralized access to Connecticut COVID data: https://data.ct.gov/stories/s/COVID-19-data/wa3g-tfvc/.

An explanation of the CDC Community Levels tool by Thomas Gotowka can be found at this link.

Statewide Situation – Daily Update

The state’s COVID-19 Daily Positivity Rate broke the 10% watershed on May 4 at 10.32%. It went through the 14% mark with the May 20 Rate of 14.19%, but the June 20 Positivity Rate has fallen to 7.52%. 

On June 15, the number of COVID-related hospitalizations fell to 246 from the 273 recorded June 16.

In contrast, on Jan. 12, 2022, the number of COVID-related hospitalizations was 1,939.

Of those hospitalized on June 20, the number not fully vaccinated was 85 (representing 34.55%).

The total number of COVID-related deaths in Connecticut held at 11,015 on June 120, according to The New York Times.

The next Daily Data Report will be issued by CT DPH Thursday, June 23, around 4 p.m.

Increase in Cases in Lyme & Old Lyme Since August 2021

The cumulative total of confirmed cases for Old Lyme has now increased by 882 since Wednesday, Nov. 10, when the total stood at 443 — that number had stood unchanged for a week since the previous Thursday, Nov. 4.

On Aug. 26 — which was the day Lyme-Old Lyme Schools started the new academic year — Old Lyme’s cumulative case total stood at 372, meaning there have now been 953 new cases there since that date.

Meanwhile, Lyme’s cumulative total on Aug. 26 was 114 indicating 213 new cases have also been confirmed there during the same period.

Fatalities Due to COVID-19 in Lyme, Old Lyme

There has been one COVID-related fatality of a Lyme resident: a 57-year-old male passed away Nov. 16, 2021. On Nov. 30, the state finally included this fatality in its data

Four COVID-related fatalities have now been reported in Old Lyme. The first two fatalities from Old Lyme, which were reported in 2020, were a 61-year-old female and an 82-year-old male.

Details of the third and fourth fatalities, which were reported respectively in 2021 and on Feb. 4, 2022, have not been made available.

COVID-19 Situation in LOL Schools

Under new state protocols for schools, Lyme-Old Lyme (LOL) Schools are no longer required to carry out contact tracing.

LOL Schools Superintendent Ian Neviaser explained the latest developments in LOL Schools COVID protocols in an email dated April 1 to the school community, saying, “As noted in my email of February 17, 2022, beginning April 1, 2022 we will no longer report daily COVID-19 cases in the schools.”

He then stated, “For the remainder of this school year, that information will be complied on a weekly basis and will be available on our website at the following link: https://www.region18.org/parents/covid-data.”

Details published to date show the following number of positive cases in LOL Schools by week.
April 3-9: 0
April 10-16: 0
April 17-23: Spring Break
April 24-30: 7
May 2-7: 27
May 8-14: 41
May 15-21: 30
May 22-28: 23
May 29-June 4: 55
June 5-June 11: 19
June 12-June 18: 4

The total number of cases recorded by the CT DPH in Lyme and Old Lyme for the week June 12-June 18 was 12, indicating a minority of all reported cases were potentially associated with LOL Schools.

LOL Schools are now on summer recess and so there will be no further reporting from LOL Schools until late August.

For a summary of cases in LOL Schools between Jan. 1 and March 31, 2022, visit this link.

View a full listing of cases in LOL Schools between 8/26/21 – 12/23/21 at this link.