LITCHFIELD COUNTY, Conn. — The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) listed Litchfield County as an area of "high" community transmission for COVID-19 Wednesday.
This is the sixth county in Connecticut to be listed as an area of high transmission. According to the Connecticut Department of Public Health (CT DPH), Middlesex County was downgraded to an area of "substantial" community transmission but was moved back to high.
The CDC classifies a "high risk" area as 100 new cases per 100,000 people over the past seven days.
CDC guidelines recommend anyone in an area that is listed as substantial or higher should wear a mask while inside like a store or other building, regardless if one has been vaccinated for COVID-19.
"With the ongoing rapid increase in cases of COVID-19 in the state over the last 14 days due to the spread of the Delta variant, the Connecticut Department of Public Health strongly recommends that ALL CONNECTICUT residents over age two years, whether vaccinated or unvaccinated, return to wearing masks when in indoor public spaces," said the CT DPH in a written statement.
Connecticut reported on Tuesday that the positivity rate was 3.83% after 27,958 tests were administered and 1,071 came back positive.
Hospitalizations continue to rise and are now at 391 patients. Hartford County has the most number of patients being treated for the virus with 129. New Haven County has the second most patients with 106.
The only two counties in the state that are not listed as an area of high community transmission are Windham and Tolland County. However, they are listed as areas of substantial community spread.
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