Coronavirus In CT: From ‘Party Zero’ To 27K Cases, A Timeline
CONNECTICUT — Connecticut is close to reaching the two-month mark since the new coronavirus was first confirmed in the state, though for many it feels much longer than that. In just two months there have been more than 27,000 lab-confirmed cases, more than 2,200 deaths and thousands of hospitalizations.
“I think in hindsight everybody wishes we’d had done everything sooner, including ordering all the PPE the ventilators and testing gear,” Gov. Ned Lamont said at a news conference April 28 when asked if he thought he responded appropriately early in the pandemic. He added that Connecticut took similar steps at the same time as New York and New Jersey even though Connecticut was about 10 days behind their coronavirus trends.
The state announced its reopening plan, which is tentatively set to start May 2o.
Economic figures:
The state estimates it will spend $1.5 billion on the coronavirus response.
Connecticut’s unemployment rate is north of 20 percent and the state has paid out $330 million in unemployment benefits in the last month.
Around 302,000 unemployment claims were made between March 13 and April 8. Normally that’s two year’s worth of claims.
Lamont expects a $900 million budget deficit in the current fiscal year, mainly due to lost tax revenue from the coronavirus. He anticipates an overall deficit of $2.3 billion for the next fiscal year.
Timeline
January 19: A 35-year-old man seeks medical treatment at an urgent care clinic in Washington State after visiting family in Wuhan, China. He is later diagnosed as the first U.S. case.
March
March 1: New York State announces its first coronavirus case.
March 5: A private party attended by at least 40 people later becomes a “super-spreader” hotspot and Westport goes on to become one of the earliest hardest-hit towns in Connecticut.
March 6: A New York State resident who worked at Danbury and Norwalk hospitals tested positive for the coronavirus. At this point 21 people in Connecticut had been tested for the virus.
March 7: A physician who worked at Bridgeport Hospital tested positive for the virus. The physician was a New York State resident.
March 8: Connecticut’s first residential positive coronavirus case is announced. A Wilton man was treated at Danbury Hospital. He likely became infected during a trip to California. He spent 10 days in a medically induced coma.
March 9: State restricts visits to nursing homes.
March 10: A second state resident tested positive for the virus. Gov. Lamont signs a public health and civil preparedness declaration.
March 11: Connecticut announces its third coronavirus case, which is the first assumed community transmission infection.
March 12: Lamont signs his first coronavirus-related executive order. It limits the size of gatherings to 250 people, waives the 180-day school year requirement, authorizes the DMV to extend renewal deadlines.
March 13: Connecticut has a total of 11 positive cases. Utility shut-offs are suspended during the crisis. Around this time the state starts to see a massive increase in unemployment claims.
March 15: Lamont signs an executive order that cancels classes at all public schools.
March 16: An executive order limits social and recreational gatherings to 50 people. It also closes dine-in restaurant service, gyms, and movie theaters.
March 18: A Ridgefield man in his 80s becomes the first state resident to die from coronavirus complications. He was an assisted living resident. Indoor shopping malls are closed by executive order.
March 19: Presidential primary is pushed back to June 2. Non-critical state court operations are suspended.
March 20: “Stay Safe, Stay Home” executive order signed, which closed non-essential in-person business.
March 23: Connecticut has 10 coronavirus deaths and 415 positive cases.
March 26: Lamont signs an executive order that limits social and recreational gatherings to five or fewer people. Connecticut has more than 1,000 coronavirus cases and 21 deaths.
March 28: Connecticut has more than 1,500 confirmed cases and 33 deaths. Hospitalizations pass 200 cases. President Donald Trump makes off-the-cuff remarks that Connecticut, New Jersey and New York could be placed under federal quarantine, but by the end of the day it doesn’t happen.
March 31: State nearly doubles deaths in one day, reaches total of 69 deaths and more than 3,100 confirmed cases.
April
April 2: Lamont bans non-essential lodging. Coronavirus deaths pass 100.
April 4: Confirmed cases pass 5,000 and state has 165 deaths.
April 7: Lamont signs executive order that allows certain health care professions to practice before licensure.
April 10: Executive order protects renters impacted by coronavirus. School cancellation extended to May 20. Other closures and social distancing mandates are extended to May 20 as well. Connecticut passes 10,000 confirmed cases and has 448 deaths. Hospitalizations pass 1,500.
April 11: Nursing home surge plan announced.
April 12: Total of 554 deaths and more than 12,000 confirmed cases.
April 13: Connecticut joins a regional seven-state reopening council to coordinate reopening businesses and testing strategy. Connecticut is hit by a strong windstorm that knocks power out to more than 100,000 electric customers.
April 17: Lamont executive order signed that mandates face coverings in public when social distancing becomes impossible. Deaths in Connecticut surpass 1,000.
April 18: Connecticut sees its first daily net hospitalization drop.
April 20: Connecticut sees its largest single-day death toll reporting at 204, however, the large increase was due to a change in how deaths were classified and included deaths that occurred several days prior. Protesters hold a drive-by rally near the capitol urging Lamont to reopen the state.
April 27: Coronavirus-related deaths in Connecticut surpass 2,000.
April 30: The state announces its reopening plan, which is scheduled to go into effect May 20 if current trends continue.
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This article originally appeared on the Across Connecticut Patch
