VTDigger is posting regular updates on the coronavirus in Vermont on this page. You can also subscribe here for regular email updates on the coronavirus. If you have any questions, thoughts or updates on how Vermont is responding to COVID-19, contact us at coronavirus@vtdigger.org
The state identified 71 new coronavirus positive cases Saturday — the largest increase of any single day so far — and reported three new deaths in Vermont.
The new cases bring the total number of positive coronavirus tests in the state since the beginning of the outbreak to 461. Twenty people have died in Vermont from the virus.
The newly reported deaths included two patients at Southwestern Vermont Medical Center in Bennington and one resident of Birchwood Terrace Rehab and Health in Burlington’s New North End, according to Ben Truman, of the Vermont Department of Health.
Birchwood Terrace announced late Friday that 12 additional residents and one staff member had tested positive for the virus. It is the second elder care facility in Burlington to experience an outbreak, following Burlington Health and Rehab.
Coronavirus cases have been identified at eight senior living facilities in Vermont, state officials said earlier this week.
The first Covid-19 case was identified at Birchwood on Monday, and by Thursday, 14 cases had been confirmed at the facility, which decided to test all of its 112 residents. As of Friday, 26 residents had tested positive.
The remainder of the facility’s residents have all tested negative, Executive Director Alecia DiMario said in a statement Friday.
Birchwood Terrace was still in the process of testing all of its staff members Friday, but expected to complete testing Saturday and to receive results over the weekend. The employee, according to a release from the facility, “feels fine.”
In order to try to contain the spread, the facility is not allowing any visitors, except at end of life. Residents will continue to be monitored, and staff are screened and having their temperatures taken twice a day, according to DiMario.
The number of positive cases announced Saturday was the highest total that had been reported on any single day in Vermont so far. Truman attributed the sharp increase to the expanded testing efforts at facilities where the virus had been detected.
“There was a large increase in the number of tests conducted as part of our outbreak response efforts for these facilities,” he said.
As of Saturday, the state reported that 5,844 tests had been conducted, an increase of 616 over the total reported Friday.
The cumulative total of 461 positive cases includes two test results from March that had not previously been included in the case count, according to the health department.
Editor’s note: This story was updated to include additional details at 2:25 p.m.
