106 omicron cases discovered in state
Hundreds of nationwide holiday flights canceled
Slightly more than 100 cases of omicron have been detected across Connecticut, authorities said this week, while the COVID variant’s rise nationwide has forced the cancellation of hundreds of holiday weekend flights.
There were 3,414 more confirmed COVID-19 tests in the state from Wednesday to Thursday, with a daily test positivity rate of 9.02 percent. There were 837 patients hospitalized with the virus, of which 75.9 percent were not fully vaccinated.
There have been 14,284 cases of the delta variant detected in Connecticut along with the 106 omicron cases, the state’s data showed.
As cases of the omicron variant continues to pop up, and more cases of the delta and other variants are reported across Connecticut, towns and cities have reinstated mask mandates for public places.
The rise in COVID-19 infections also led airlines to cancel hundreds of flights because of staffing shortages. Delta Air Lines and United Airlines canceled flights because of staff shortages tied to the omicron variant. Delta canceled 145 flights on Friday and 111 on Christmas Day, according to FlightAware. United canceled 175 Friday flights and 69 Saturday flights.
In Stamford, the public schools were closed Thursday after a bus driver shortage as COVID-19 case numbers climbed statewide and across the nation. The closure announcement came after more than 60 cases of the virus among public school students and staff were reported on Tuesday since Dec. 17, city officials said.
There were 13 recent deaths among individuals in nursing home and assisted living facilities with COVID-19, according to the latest data from the state. Among the deaths was one at Ludlowe Center for Health and Rehabilitation in Fairfield, where 13 residents and six staff are currently infected with the virus. The facility has 129 staff and residents.
There are currently 136 confirmed virus cases among residents at nursing homes and assisted living facilities and 242 among staff at those facilities.
The state Department of Public Health’s COVID-19 alert map indicates 166 out of the state’s 169 municipalities were in the red zone, indicating case rates of more than 15 per 100,000 people over the last two weeks.
The state indicated that those who are unvaccinated are four times more likely to be infected with COVID, 13 time more likely to die from it and 13 times more likely to be hospitalized from it.