Vermont’s death toll from Covid has doubled since Nov. 1, a sign of the increasing struggle to contain the virus in high-risk populations, particularly long-term care facilities, even as the vaccine debuts.
The state reported 73 cases and added five new deaths to its data Wednesday, bringing the total to 117, Department of Health data shows. That’s double the 58 deaths that were reported at the beginning of November.
Commissioner Michael Pieciak, head of the Department of Financial Regulation, said at a press conference Tuesday that 70% of deaths in the most recent wave were linked to long-term care facilities.
Long-term care facilities reported 121 cases of the virus this week. While the state has been reporting those case numbers separately for only a few weeks, that’s roughly in line with previous weeks so far.
Pharmacies began administering vaccines to long-term care residents Monday as part of the state’s vaccine initiative, said Dr. Mark Levine, head of the Department of Health, on Tuesday. But only 3,100 Vermonters have been vaccinated so far, and it will also take time for people to receive full immunity from their second dose of the vaccine.
[VTDigger commemorated the lives of the Vermonters who died in Covid’s second wave. Read the series here.]
Twenty-seven Vermonters were hospitalized for the virus as of Wednesday, seven of whom were in the ICU.
Chittenden County reported 24 new cases, highest of any of the state’s 14 counties, but its latest surge seems to be dropping, compared to 70 cases per day a week before.
Bennington County’s outbreak also shows early signs of declining. It reported nine cases of the virus Wednesday and six cases Tuesday, compared to 18 cases the day before. But it may be too early to say for certain whether its rise in cases is over.
