An outbreak at Northern State Correctional Facility led Newport City to be among the hardest-hit communities in Vermont this week, more than doubling its numbers in just two weeks.
The city reported 117 Covid cases in the past two weeks, bringing its total to 207 since the start of the pandemic, according to Department of Health town data.
The prison has reported 130 inmate cases and 14 staff cases so far, but it’s likely not all of those cases have been added to the town data because of delays in processing and publishing the health department’s data.
It’s unclear how many Newport cases could be connected to the city surrounding the prison. Although Vermont officials have discussed the risk of correctional staff members bringing Covid into facilities, some research suggests that cases can go in the other direction, as well, as prison outbreaks spread into their surrounding communities.
The lingering effects of the surge in Franklin County also remained in health department data this week. Enosburgh, Bakersfield and Belvidere were listed in the highest category of cases compared to their population.
Elsewhere in the state, Lemington, Stowe, Starksboro, Bridport, Killington and Londonderry were also in the highest category of cases.
Check out the table above to see how cases have changed in the past two weeks, or see the health department’s map to find out how your community’s cases compared to their population.
