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Coronavirus Update-Additional Case, Power Restoration-What to Expect, RI Added to Travel Advisory, August 11th Primary Information & Detailed Case Data

Posted on: August 4, 2020 - 10:25pm

August 4th – Highlights from the CT DPH report as of 8:30 p.m. Monday August 3rd versus the previous report as of Sunday:

  • Wilton: 1 additional case reported. Over the last 7 days, Wilton averaged .57 cases per day.
  • Statewide: test positive rate was .68%.  
  • Hospitalized Patients: Statewide, 4-net patient increase. Fairfield County, 2-net patient increase.  
  • Deaths: Statewide, no new deaths. 

Today’s storm was a major event. As of 6:30 p.m., we had 84 road locations with one or more downed tree, 51 of those locations were not passable. As of 8:56 p.m., Eversource reported over 480,000 CT customers without power. Eversource experienced damage to a number of transformers.

4,863 Wilton customers, or 64.6%, were reported without power. The scope of downed trees and outages in Wilton was similar to that of the powerful March 2018 storm.  

We don’t have an estimate from Eversource as to when power will be fully restored, but residents should expect it could take up to several days.  The following are Eversource’s power restoration protocols:

1-Eversource completes their “make safe work” before power restoration. 

  • An initial crew assesses the situation to determine the scope of the work and what resources are required.
  • A different crew performs the necessary work.  
  • Only Eversource personnel are allowed to remove their downed wires. 

2-Power is restored first to emergency and health centers.

3-Restoration efforts are prioritized based on the number of customers serviced by the outage issue.  The larger the number of customers, the higher the priority.

Eversource's online outage system is reported to be operational. If you have difficulty online, please call 860-286-2000. Eversource has been calling customers from that same number to provide updates.  Eversource is the best source for restoration estimates. If you haven’t signed up for their text alerts, please do so.

We recognize the frustration that accompanies a day or more without power. We will be doing what we can to move Eversource’s work along as quickly as possible.

Wilton Police, Fire and DPW personnel, along with  WVAC and C.E.R.T volunteers, worked throughout the day and into the evening to maintain public safety and clear roads that do not have Eversource downed wires.  Work will continue tomorrow. Thank you to everyone who used SeeClickFix to report non-emergency tree issues. 

Social Services personnel are in contact with clients as appropriate.  

As of today, Rhode Island was added to the State’s travel advisory.  Delaware and the District of Columbia were removed. The list now includes 34 states and Puerto Rico. Please remember:

  • Most residents returning from one of those states or Puerto Rico, who was in the state or Puerto Rico for more than 24 hours over the last 14 days is required to self-quarantine and complete and submit a travel form.
  • CT DPH posted the following related to any resident who returns to Connecticut after visiting a state that was not on the list of affected states when they arrived in the state, but was added to the list of affected states during a resident’s stay:  The Department of Public Health will not pursue or levy civil penalties against an Affected Traveler who arrives in Connecticut following a stay in a state that was not on the list of Affected States when the traveler arrived but became an affected State during the Affected Traveler’s stay, provided the Affected Traveler returns to Connecticut not more than seven days following the date such state was added to the list of Affected States.  Although the Department of Public Health will not pursue civil penalties against such travelers, all such travelers are still strongly encouraged to make every effort to self-quarantine.  In addition, such Affected Travelers are still required to complete a Travel Health Form upon arrival in Connecticut and may be subjected to civil penalties by the Department of Public Health for failure to do so.
  • CT DPH also posted the following related to the 72-hour test and “unable to quarantine”:  The term "unable to self-quarantine" applies in very rare circumstances (e.g., coming to Connecticut for a funeral, an end-of-life visit to a relative). Returning to work is not a justification for being unable to self-quarantine. Individuals who plan voluntary travel to affected states should have arrangements with their employers to be self-quarantined for the two weeks after they return.
  • If you have travel plans and are concerned about a possible self-quarantine upon your return, I encourage you to investigate that state’s 7-day rolling average daily rate for cases per 100,000.  Any state with a rate of 10 or above is placed on the travel advisory.  The 7-day cumulative data for each state is readily available on the NYTimes website, just remember to divide the cumulative number by 7.  

The following is important information related to the upcoming August 11th Primary:

  • Completed absentee ballots must be returned and received by 8:00p.m. on August 11th.  As of this afternoon, all ballots requested through the applications mailed out by the Secretary of State have been mailed to Wilton residents.
  • Ballots can be returned by placing them in the secured ballot return box outside Police Headquarters or by mailing them to the Town Clerk at 238 Danbury Road.  
  • In-person voting will take place on August 11th at all three voting places, from 6:00a.m. to 8:00p.m.  Health safety precautions will be in place. 
  • The Town issued a detailed press release, which you can view on the Town’s website or read about in the local press.

The CT Data Center reported the following for Wilton as of 8:30 p.m. August 3rd and versus the dates prior to the start of Phase 1 and Phase 2:

  • 241 cases, 34 additional since June 16th and 41 since May 19th.
  • 2,776 residents tested, 1,626 since June 16th and 2,026 since May 19th.
  • 3,669 tests performed, 2,217 since June 16th .
  • 42 deaths, 1 since June 16th and 5 since May 19th.

CT DPH reported the following for Fairfield County and Statewide as of 8:30 p.m. August 3rd:

  • 17,876 cases, 1,495 additional since 6/16      50,110 cases, 4,681 additional since 6/16
  • 1,408 deaths, 56 additional since 6/16           4,437 deaths, 218 additional since 6/16
  • 15 hospitalized, 53 less than 6/16                   60 hospitalized, 126 less than 6/16

“You have to have responsibility for yourself but also a societal responsibility that you’re getting infected is not just you in a vacuum.” Dr. Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases and member of the White House Coronavirus Task Force.     

As always, if you have any questions, please email the appropriate town department or me at lynne.vanderslice@wiltonct.org.  

Thank you,

Lynne Vanderslice

First Selectwoman