City breaks its record for most COVID cases in single day
DANBURY — The city has hit its highest daily number of confirmed COVID-19 cases.
Danbury reported 265 new cases Dec. 28, according to data on the city’s website. That followed two straight days of triple-digit cases the two days prior. There were
38 cases reported last Dec. 29, the latest available data.
The previous single-day high was 223 cases reported on Dec. 5, 2020.
Kara Prunty, the city’s health director, expects the trend of a high number of cases to continue this week.
“We’re going to see some of the results from family gatherings over Christmas vacation, so we could see some potential spread from that,” she said.
She doesn’t know when cases could reach their peak.
“I wish I could tell you that information, but I don’t know that for sure,” Prunty said.
At the city’s at-home test kit distribution on Sunday, some residents told volunteers they or their family members were sick, but they had been unable to get tested, Prunty said. She expects demand for testing to continue to be high.
Cars were waiting about two hours before the new SEMA4 testing site was scheduled to open at 1 p.m. on WestConn’s Westside campus, she said. The site was moved from the Pat Waldron Building on Memorial Drive due to traffic issues that would have been exacerbated when students and staff returned to Rogers Park Middle School. A maximum of 700 tests are available.
Those who have been exposed to the virus and have symptoms are the “highest priority” for testing, Prunty said.
Danbury is working with the state to potentially add a second testing site and/or find a new, permanent site, said Matthew Cassavechia, the city’s emergency management director. They’re assessing venues and figuring out plans to staff and supply the site, among other logistics, he said.
Officials hope to have “definitive movement” on this within the next two weeks, he said.
“We have them on speed dial,” Cassavechia said of state officials. “They get it. They understand the challenges in our community.”
Several providers are offering COVID vaccinations and boosters throughout the city. A schedule is available on the city website.
Mayor Dean Esposito said he is urging vaccinations, but would “absolutely not” mandate city employees to get their shots.
“We’re still going to continue to encourage every employee to get vaccinated, first, second and booster, but that’s going to be a choice of the individual,” he said.