CT Coronavirus Variants Spread as Positivity Rate Drops

CONNECTICUT — The coronavirus positivity rate statewide dropped to its lowest level since the beginning of March, but the southwest portion of the state is "a little hotter" this week, Gov. Ned Lamont said during a news conference.

The governor speculated during a news conference Thursday that the higher infection rate was "related to the New York variant coming up."

The number of New York variant cases soared from 272 to 478. There are 945 cases of the U.K. coronavirus variant in the state, up from 649 last week. Cases of the Californian variant B.1.427 are up from 39 to 47, and instances of the Californian B.1.429 have climbed from 108 last week to 120 cases.

Cases of the South African variant crept up one case, to nine, and the number of Brazilian variant P.1 cases went from five to nine.

The Brazilian P.2 variant has held steady for three weeks at seven cases, and a variant first detected in Africa and Europe, B.1.525, has held steady at 10 cases for three weeks as well.

An additional 702 cases of the coronavirus were confirmed Tuesday in the state, bringing that total to 328,000. With 34,388 tests reported, the daily positivity rate now sits at 2.04 percent.

Hospitalizations dropped by 13 beds overnight, according to the state Department of Public Health. That brings the number of those hospitalized with the virus to 505.

Coronavirus-associated deaths across the state rose by six on Thursday. The COVID-19 death toll in Connecticut now stands at 7,990.

See Also: Over 130 CT Towns Now In Coronavirus Red Zone

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