New Canaan man with coronavirus is St. Mark’s parishioner

The New Canaan resident who has tested postive at the Norwalk Hospital is a parishoner at St. Mark’s Episcopal Church, according to a letter sent to members of the church and posted on the church website.

As a result, a clergy member is self-isolating and there will be no gatherings at the church for at least two weeks, through March 29.

“I write also to calm anxiety you might have. We have spent hours on the phone with public health officials who believe that asymptomatic people do not transmit COVID-19. This person has not been at church since the onset of symptoms,” the Rev. Peter F. Walsh wrote.

The family of the patient, as well as the Rev. Elizabeth Garnsey, associate pastor, are quarantined.

Garnsey “made a pastoral visit to this person on Monday before the COVID-19 diagnosis. She followed all the safety protocols for a hospital visit, as we always do. Since the diagnosis, she is in touch with the State Department of Health, is asymptomatic, and is following their protocols including self-quarantine for 14 days,” Walsh wrote.

State and local health officials have worked to find those who may have come in contact with the elderly man.

“The state Department of Public Health epidemiology team and New Canaan Health Department have done the contact tracing of individuals directly exposed. Those individuals have been contacted either by myself or the state Department of Public Health and told to self-isolate for 14 days with public health supervision,” New Canaan Director of Health Jenn Eielson said.

Eielson is monitoring individuals who are in isolation.

“I contact them every day by call, text, or FaceTime,” she said. “That measure is the most important in community mitigation. We are not able to discuss any other details regarding his medical status including hospitalization. Please everyone wish him well.”

The chuch has canceled all public events, including Lenten Maranatha House Churches, Morning Prayer, weekday classes, choirs, church school, coffee hour, and the Evensong scheduled for this Sunday. The church office will be open for essential business, but much of the staff will work remotely.

For the next three Sundays St. Mark’s Church will stream a 10 a.m. liturgy.

“We will not gather physically as a community to worship but we can still gather as a digital community,” Walsh wrote.

Contributed photo “We will not gather physically as a community to worship but we can still gather as a digital community,” the Rev. Elizabeth Garnsey said.