The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has now placed Fairfield County in the “high-transmission” category of COVID-19, according to the Connecticut Department of Public Health.
This is now the fifth county in the state to be upgraded to the high transmission category, following New Haven, Hartford, New London and Middlesex counties.
The state department of health said the high transmission category is the most severe, as defined by the CDC, with 100 or more cases per 100,000 people or a positivity rate of 10 percent or higher over the past seven days.
The CDC has listed Litchfield, Tolland and Windham counties as being in the “substantial transmission” category, meaning 50 to 100 cases per 100,000, or a positivity rate between 8 and 10 percent over the past seven days.
On Wednesday, the rate dipped lower, to just under 3 percent, at 2.99 percent. The number of people hospitalized with the virus has increased by 27.
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The state Department of Health is strongly recommending that all Connecticut residents over 2, whether vaccinated or unvaccinated, wear masks when in indoor public spaces.
Unvaccinated residents who can get vaccinated are urged to do so.