Cromwell, Portland report first virus deaths

CROMWELL — The town has recorded its first coronavirus death, officials said, a 94-year-old woman who had been hospitalized and died Saturday.

Also, the Chatham Health District was notified by the state Department of Public Health that a resident of Portland has died of COVID-19, according to a Facebook post Thursday by First Selectwoman Susan Bransfield. “The resident had been under care for their illness in the hospital for several weeks. This tragic loss is the first among residents in a Chatham Health District municipality.”

The announcement of the Cromwell death was made Thursday morning by Town Manager Anthony J. Salvatore, who said the town was notified of the death Wednesday evening by the state Department of Public Health.

The death of the Cromwell woman, who was not identified, “saddens us all,” Salvatore said in a statement. “On behalf of Mayor Enzo Faienza and the entire Town Council, we express our deepest sympathy to the family and loved ones of our resident who has passed, as well as (to) the families of everyone who have been affected by this outbreak.”

Seven residents so far have tested positive for the virus, Public Health Coordinator Salvatore Nesci said Thursday morning.

However, the actual number of people who are infected is much higher, Nesci said. “Epidemiologically speaking, for every one person who is identified as having the virus, there are 100 people who are carrying it,” Nesci said.

He urged all residents to “pay attention and follow the advice of local state and federal public health professionals regarding social distancing.”