87 more virus deaths push state past 6,500

In less than two weeks, Connecticut has recorded more than 500 COVID-related deaths.

On Wednesday, 87 more deaths were recorded, pushing the state’s death toll associated with the coronavirus to 6,536.

The milestone came less than two weeks after the state surpassed 6,000 deaths.

There were 3,529 new infections reported Wednesday that were found in 56,600 tests for a daily positivity rate of 6.23 percent.

Hospitalizations, however, dropped with six fewer patients hospitalized for the illness, bringing the statewide total to 1,148.

The state’s data reflects changes from the previous day with the exception of the death count.

Deaths are reported as they are confirmed, not based on the date of a person’s death, according to Chief Medical Examiner Dr. James Gill.

Gill said the state Department of Public Health maintains the “ultimate tabulation,” but the number of deaths are released based on when they have been verified.

“The issue is not the length of the dying process, but a delay in the certification of the death by the clinical doctor or not reporting the death to our office,” Gill said Wednesday in an email to Hearst Connecticut Media.

A “few days” can pass before the DPH receives a person’s death certificate. The record is first filed with the town where the death occurred before being sent to the Department of Public Health’s vital records office.

“We are tracking these deaths seven days a week, but sometimes weekends will slow down local agencies or nursing homes in reporting the death,” Gill said.

And some deaths require additional investigation, Gill said.

His office does track the data based on when the people died.

According to Gill, the last time more than 50 COVID deaths occurred in one day was May 17. The state’s deadliest day was April 21 when 116 deaths were recorded.

“This past week or so, we saw on average 30 to 40 COVID deaths per day,” he said.