The number of identified COVID-19 infections in Vermont jumped to 49 on Saturday – the largest single day increase since the first Vermont case was identified nearly two weeks ago.
In a press release, the state health department announced its labs identified 16 new positive cases. A spokesperson said an additional four positive tests came in through other labs.
Seven of the new cases identified by the health department are residents of Burlington Health and Rehabilitation nursing home, where state officials say there's an outbreak of the disease.
Saturday's new numbers bring the total number of cases associated with the facility up to a dozen. One of the two deaths in Vermont associated with COVID-19 was a resident of the facility.
Of the newly identified patients at the nursing home, one woman is in her 60s, two women and two men are in their 70s and two women are over the age of 80; none of them is currently hospitalized, according to the health department.
“All of us at the Health Department are deeply concerned with the news of these additional positive cases” said Health Commissioner Mark Levine in a written statement. “Unfortunately, this new coronavirus can be very serious, especially for vulnerable Vermonters, and we have seen long-term care facilities across the country struggle to contain the virus.”
The health department said Burlington Health and Rehab had been following Centers For Disease Control and Prevention guidance on treatment and isolation since early last week.
The department urged all long-term care facilities to take “aggressive measures” to mitigate the spread of COVID-19 including taking the temperature of all staff entering the building.
For the remaining patients identified on Saturday, three were hospitalized; two men over the age of 80 are being treated at Northwestern Medical Center and one woman in her 50s is at Cheshire Medical Center.
The state has conducted 978 COVID-19 tests and is monitoring 288 for potential exposure.
In an effort to contain the virus, Gov. Phil Scott further restricted gatherings and business operations Saturday morning, before the new case numbers were released. Scott's order will close all gyms, spas, tattoo parlors and hair and nail salons by Monday night. The order also bans non-essential gatherings of more than 10 people.
Below is the state's demographic data for the positive cases reported Saturday by the Vermont Department of Health:
POSITIVE CASES REPORTED
- Male in his 30s. Chittenden County resident. Not hospitalized.
- Female in her 40s. Chittenden County resident. Not hospitalized.
- Female in her 20s. Chittenden County resident. Not hospitalized.
- Male over the age of 80. Franklin County of resident. Hospitalized at Northwestern Vermont Medical Center.
- Male in his 70s, Addison County resident. Not hospitalized.
- Male in his 70s, Windsor County resident. Not hospitalized.
- Male over the age of 80, Franklin County resident, Hospitalized at Northwestern Vermont Medical Center.
- Female in her 30s. Windsor County resident. Not hospitalized.
- Female in her 50s. Windham County resident. Hospitalized at Cheshire Medical Center.
Seven positive results at Burlington Health and Rehab:
- Female in her 60s. Not hospitalized.
- Female in her 70s. Not hospitalized.
- Female over the age of 80. Not hospitalized.
- Female over the age of 80. Not hospitalized.
- Male in his 70s. Not hospitalized.
- Male in his 70s. Not hospitalized.
- Female in her 70s. Not hospitalized.
