Wrong Direction: Bethel COVID Cases, CT Red Zone Towns, On Uptick

BETHEL, CT —The number of high coronavirus alert "red zone" municipalities in the state more than doubled in the past week, as infections in Bethel continue to climb in the wrong direction.

The state Department of Public Health reported 20 towns with 15 or more cases per 100,000 on Thursday, up from just eight the previous week. Connecticut's seven-day moving positive test rate average has been incrementally increasing, but still remains well below rates seen earlier in the year.

This week, Bethel has jumped from "yellow" alert last week to "orange" coronavirus status, the second-highest level. Two weeks ago, the town was at "gray," the lowest level.

Bethel had 10.1 average daily cases per 100,000 residents and a positive test percentage of 4.2 percent between Mar. 13-26, according to DPH.

There were just 5.1 average daily cases per 100,000 residents in the previous two-week reporting period, and the test positivity is up nearly 2 percent from last week's numbers.

It's important to note that a few cases can have a large impact on a municipal case rate, especially for small towns.

Bethel High School reported fewer than six cases of COVID-19 among their student body from Mar. 24-30.

As of Thursday, 65.6 percent of Americans have been fully vaccinated. In Connecticut, 78.4 percent of residents have had both jabs, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. That's a climb of 0.2 and 0.1 percent, respectively, over last week's tabulation. Just over half of Connecticut residents have received a booster shot against the coronavirus.

Bethel is slightly behind of the state curve, with 74.58 percent of its residents fully vaccinated, up 0.18 percent from last week, according to the latest DPH data.

People 50 and older and anyone who is immunocompromised in Connecticut may get a second COVID-19 booster shot, the Food and Drug Administration announced Tuesday.