Conn. reports 2,651 new cases

Here are the most important things to know about the coronavirus in Connecticut:

Nov. 2

State reports 2,651 new COVID-19 cases since Friday

Connecticut announced 2,651 new coronavirus cases on Nov. 2, 11 more deaths and 11 new hospitalizations for a total of 340 patients currently in the hospital. The positivity rate has increased to 3.3 percent.

CDC: People can still vote if sick or quarantining within guidelines

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has released guidelines for in-person voting on Nov. 3. In an email to CNN, the CDC confirmed that someone who is currently recovering from COVID-19 or quarantining from being exposed to the virus, can still vote. Any such voter is encouraged to wear a mask, stay at least 6 feet away from others and wash their hands or use hand sanitizer before and after voting. These voters are also urged to notify poll workers of their condition or quarantine status.

Diabetes patients with metabolic syndrome at risk for severe COVID-19

You are much more likely to die from a COVID-19 infection if you suffer from metabolic syndrome, a disease associated with type 2 diabetes, according to a series of recent research. A study of metabolic syndrome and COVID-19 mortality among a group of adult Black patients found that metabolic syndrome was “significantly associated” with increased mortality, admission to an intensive care unit, invasive mechanical ventilation and acute respiratory distress syndrome.

Construction workers at high risk of contracting COVID-19, research suggests

Construction workers may be at significant risk of catching the coronavirus, specifically if construction work continues during lockdowns. Researchers at the University of Texas at Austin found that “resuming construction work during shelter-in-place orders was associated with increased hospitalization risks in the construction workforce and increased transmission in the surrounding community.” Among the cohort in central Texas researchers studied, construction workers were five times more likely to be hospitalized.

DETECT study: Smartwatches can detect a COVID infection

Early results from research called the DETECT study has found that a computer using information obtained from smartwatches and other wearable technology can accurately detect a COVID-19 infection. The study is a big one — 30,529 people, of whom 3,811 reported coronavirus symptoms. It’s accurate, but not a panacea, as the study itself says: “Such a passive monitoring strategy may be complementary to virus testing, which is generally a one-off, or infrequent, sampling assay.” But it may be an important step, representing “the transitioning of research from a dependence on brick and mortar research centers to a remote, direct-to-participant approach now possible through a range of digital technologies.”