Vermont reports three new cases of COVID-19

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The Vermont Department of Health today announced three new presumptive positive cases in Vermont of the new coronavirus COVID-19. To date, there are now four presumptive positive cases and one case that has been confirmed by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. A DOH press release on Saturday said that:

• The first of the new cases is a Windsor County man in his 90s who is hospitalized at the Veteran’s Administration Hospital in White River Junction.
• The second is Washington County man in his 50s. He was initially treated at Central Vermont Medical Center in Berlin. He is currently in home isolation, following CVMC’s home-care protocols.
• The third new presumptive positive case is also a man in his 50s. He is a resident of Westchester County, N.Y., who is being treated receiving care at Springfield Hospital in Springfield. The Vermont Health Department sent this correction at 3:24 p.m. on Saturday, March 14: That the person from Westchester County, NY is not hospitalized.

The Centers for Disease Control defines a presumptive positive case as one in which the patient has tested positive by a local public health laboratory, but the results are still pending a CDC lab.

The press release said that Vermont health officials have been in contact with public health counterparts in New York and other neighboring states to inform them of these cases and that the Health Department’s contact tracing team has been working to investigate the patient’s travel history and related community activities, and to identify anyone who may have been in close contact with the patients. They will be assessed for their exposure risk and provided with guidance for their health and recommendations for self-isolation or other restrictions.

“We have been in contact with the hospitals and know these patients are receiving the best care possible,” said Health Commissioner Mark Levine, MD. “We expected that Vermont would see more cases, and that there likely will be more. We all have a critical role to play in flattening the potential curve of infections, and I ask every Vermonter to visit healthvermont.gov for up to date information about the steps to take to keep themselves and our communities healthy.”

The Department of Health is providing the following guidelines regarding COVID-19:

WHEN TO CALL

• If you have questions about COVID-19: Dial 2-1-1
• If you are returning from most of Europe, China, Iran or South Korea:
  Call Health Department Epidemiology at 802-863-7240.
• If you are sick or concerned about your health: Contact your health care provider by phone. Do not go to the hospital, except in a life-threatening situation. Do not call the Health Department.

Person-to-person spread of the virus occurs mainly via respiratory droplets produced when an infected person coughs or sneezes. Please see the chart to the right for information on protecting yourself.

On March 13, Gov. Phil Scott called on Vermonters to help protect the state’s most vulnerable ­– the elderly and the very ill ­– and announced several strategies to help slow the spread of the new coronavirus. They include:

• restricting visitor access at long-term care facilities and hospitals,
• prohibiting large, non-essential gatherings of more than 250 people
• suspending out-of-state travel for state employees.

Gov. Scott declared a state of emergency to help ensure Vermont has all the necessary resources to respond to this evolving threat. Read the executive order.