Vermont reporters provide a round-up of ongoing local coverage of coronavirus for Saturday, May 2.
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Health Department reports seven new COVID-19 cases
The Vermont Health Department reported 358 new tests and seven new cases of COVID-19 Saturday, bringing the statewide total of reported cases to 886.
The state also reported one new fatality associated with the coronavirus. The total reported death toll in Vermont is now 51.
There are 11 people hospitalized with COVID-19 statewide.
The state’s reported cases of the virus have been steadily declining and data compiled by Gov. Phil Scott’s administration indicates Vermont has one of the slowest rates of case growth in the country.
That’s led Scott to announce that more sectors of Vermont’s economy will open. This Monday, construction, landscaping and manufacturing businesses can have up to 10 employees working at a given site.
- Liam Elder-Connors
As of Friday, UVMMC caring for four COVID patients
The largest hospital in Vermont is only caring for a handful of COVID-19 patients.
University of Vermont Medical Center president Stephen Leffler said the hospital was only treating four patients infected by the coronavirus as of Friday.
Leffler added only one patient was in the ICU, and none were on ventilators. And, he said, most staff who’d been infected are back at work.
“Almost all of our employees who caught COVID and we traced them, we believe did not catch it the hospital,” Leffler said. “That’s not 100% but the vast majority. And of the 33 positive, 28 are fully back to work and recovered.”
The number of new COVID-19 cases in the state has been steadily declining. On Saturday the state reported seven new cases, bringing the total to 886. There was also one more fatality; the statewide death toll is now 51.
- Liam Elder-Connors
Four Vermont science centers offer online STEM education
Four Vermont science centers are partnering to provide STEM-based education to students. The Montshire and Fairbanks museums, plus the ECHO, Leahy Center for Lake Champlain and the Vermont Institute of Natural Science say they will work to address disparities in STEM-based education across the state.
Montshire Museum executive director Marcos Stafne said one early priority is digital engagement.
“The website that we've developed, foursciencevt.org, is a portal that gets people to know about each one of our organizations, and once there, can direct you to each individual website and social media channels,” Stafne said.
Offerings include live science broadcasts on Zoom and Facebook, behind-the-scenes tours, and downloadable resources for families and teachers.
- Betty Smith
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