Vermont reported 214 new Covid cases Thursday, the second-highest total since the pandemic began in March, according to Department of Health data.
The latest wave of cases comes 13 days after Christmas, and as state officials worry about Vermont’s rising cases and high rates among its neighboring states.
The 214 cases are just behind the record on Dec. 2, when 228 cases of the virus were reported. But officials said at the time that the high number was partly the result of testing and reporting delays.
It’s not clear if reporting delays could be a factor in Thursday’s total, but cases in the past week have been relatively high as well. During the week prior to the Dec. 2 record, cases appeared to be on the decline.
The state did see a small spike in tests after a period of relatively low testing, with 8,800 tests reported Wednesday compared to a seven-day average of about 5,000. But the number of tests is not completely out of line for the state: Vermont conducted as many as 10,000 tests in the weeks before the college semester ended.
Chittenden County reported the most cases Thursday, with 72, its second-highest one-day total since the pandemic began. It’s unclear if the latest numbers are part of a rise in Covid cases in the county.
Addison County also reported a spike in Covid cases, with 41, well above the average of about 12 in the past week. Several other counties have also reported recent rises in Covid numbers, including Orange, Windsor, Windham and Rutland.
Three new deaths were reported Thursday, bringing the total to 152. The state reported 36 people currently hospitalized for the virus, including eight in the ICU.
The number of people hospitalized with the virus has mostly remained between 20 and 40 for the past month, but has been rising in recent weeks. The state reported 38 people hospitalized on Jan. 5, the highest ever reported.
The testing positivity rate for the state has also risen since mid-December, going from 1.8% on Dec. 22 to 2.7% Thursday. However, it remains far below the benchmark of 5% that the state considers a concerning level.