Governor Lamont Provides Update on Connecticut’s Coronavirus Response Efforts

(HARTFORD, CT) – As the State of Connecticut continues taking actions in response to the global spread of coronavirus disease (COVID-19), Governor Ned Lamont provided the following updates as of 5:30 p.m. on Tuesday, June 9, 2020:

Data updates on testing in Connecticut

The following is a summary of the day-to-day newly reported data on cases, deaths, and tests in Connecticut. It is important to note that these newly reported updates include data that occurred over the last several days to a week. All data in this report are preliminary, and data for previous dates will be updated as new reports are received and data errors are corrected.

County-by-county breakdown:

For several additional graphs and tables containing more data, including a list of cases in every municipality, visit ct.gov/coronavirus and click the link that is labeled, “COVID-19 Data Tracker.”

Governor Lamont notifies legislative leaders that he intends to call a special session

Governor Ned Lamont today sent a letter to the bipartisan leadership of the Connecticut General Assembly notifying them of his intention to call the legislature into a special session to resolve the issue of absentee ballots in the November general election and to take immediate action on police accountability and transparency in the wake of the tragic death of George Floyd in Minneapolis last month. The governor has directed his chief of staff, Paul Mounds, Jr., to commence discussions with each of the leaders on the details of proposed legislation on those topics.

State reaches resolution on access to visitation for persons with disabilities in health care facilities during COVID-19 pandemic

The Office for Civil Rights at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services today announced that it has reached an early case resolution with the State of Connecticut regarding visitation policies for persons with disabilities in short-term hospitals, outpatient clinics, and outpatient surgical facilities during the COVID-19 pandemic.

As part of the resolution, the Connecticut Department of Public Health today released an order ensuring that people with disabilities have reasonable access to support personnel in hospital settings in a manner that is consistent with disability rights laws and the health and safety of patients, health care providers, and support persons. The order includes establishing a statewide policy requiring hospitals and other acute care settings to permit the entrance of a designated support person for a patient with a disability and permitting family members, service providers, or other individuals knowledgeable about the needs of the person with a disability to serve as a designated support person. Where patients with a disability are in such a setting for longer than one day, they may designate two support persons, provided only one is present at a time.

“As vulnerable populations around the state continue to be disproportionately affected by the COVID-19 pandemic, it was a priority for my office and the state to come to a resolution on allowing a support person to accompany and advocate for individuals with disabilities into our hospitals,” Governor Lamont said. “The order issued by Commissioner Gifford implements vital safeguards for individuals with special needs to ensure proper and safe care is being provided and received in a hospital setting.”

“I am pleased to have worked with the Governor’s Office, the Department of Public Health, and the HHS Office for Civil Rights to issue the DPH order that protects the rights of individuals with disabilities and facilitates a process to allow every voice, even in a hospital setting, to be heard,” Jordan A. Scheff, commissioner of the Department of Developmental Services, said.

For more information, read the press release that was issued today by the Office for Civil Rights at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

Governor Lamont encourages residents to sign up for the state’s CTAlert notification system

Governor Lamont is encouraging Connecticut residents to sign up for CTAlert, the state’s emergency alert system, which provides text message notifications to users. To subscribe, text the keyword COVIDCT to 888-777.

Providing information to Connecticut residents

For the most up-to-date information from the State of Connecticut on COVID-19, including an FAQ and other guidance and resources, residents are encouraged to visit ct.gov/coronavirus.

Individuals who have general questions that are not answered on the website can also call 2-1-1 for assistance. The hotline is available 24 hours a day and has multilingual assistance. Relay services can be accessed by calling 7-1-1. Anyone who is out-of-state or using Relay can connect to Connecticut 2-1-1 toll free by dialing 1-800-203-1234. The hotline is intended to be used by individuals who are not experiencing symptoms but may have general questions related to COVID-19. Anyone who is experiencing symptoms are strongly urged to contact their medical provider.