The Middletown Press (Middletown, CT)
Data: State COVID hospitalizations nearly triple in month
COVID cases and hospitalizations are rising in Connecticut, according to state data, but health experts say the infections are not as severe as they were earlier in the pandemic.
On Tuesday, the state reported the seven-day positivity rate was just shy of 10 percent, as high as it's been since the omicron wave over the winter. COVID hospitalizations have now surpassed 200 — nearly tripling over the past month.
Speaking at a Tuesday news conference, Yale New Haven Health Medical Director Tom Balcezak said COVID hospitalizations at his health system have more than doubled in the last month.
“The number of cases we are seeing in our hospitals is just not translating into the number of ICU patients or ventilated patients that happened during the first one or two waves of COVID,” he said.
The state reported Tuesday that 6,310 new COVID cases had been identified over the last seven days, out of 63,159 reported tests, a positivity rate of 9.99 percent.
“We've seen an uptick in cases over the last couple of weeks,” Balcezak said. “You've seen the positivity rate across the state of Connecticut continue to increase as well.”
Connecticut had a net increase of 45 COVID hospitalizations over the past seven days, increasing the statewide total to 236 patients — nearly triple the number of hospitalizations over the past month: On March 31, 88 patients were in Connecticut hospitals, according to state data.
Though the positivity rate and hospitalizations have increased, Balcezak said it “is not translating into the number of hospitalizations that we've
“The number of cases we are seeing in our hospitals is just not translating into the number of ICU patients or ventilated patients that happened during the first one or two waves of COVID.” Tom Balcezak, Yale New Haven Health medical director
seen in the past.”
“I think that's great empiric evidence that the vaccinations and the boosters work,” Balcezak said.
Though a federal court case ended a nationwide mask mandate on public transit, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention released a statement Tuesday, encouraging the use of masks on airplanes, buses and trains, and in transportation hubs.
“At this time, CDC recommends that everyone aged 2 and older — including passengers and workers — properly wear a well-fitting mask or respirator over the nose and mouth in indoor areas of public transportation,” the CDC wrote in its guidance.
Balcezak said some businesses, including all hospitals in Connecticut, have continued to require the use of masks.
“That's really for the protection of our most vulnerable patients,” he said. “We have many patients that have immune systems that are not quite up to par, even if they've been vaccinated. They still may not be protected and we want to make sure that as always, safety is our primary concern for our patients in their families.”