Covid cases have steadily increased over the past two weeks in Vermont, from 35 in the week ending July 5 to 89 in the week ending July 19, according to data from the Department of Financial Regulation.
That indicates a concerning trend as the state braces for a wave of Delta variant-connected cases sweeping across the country. But the state is still performing well by many important metrics.
Vermont has the lowest rate of new cases in the nation, with 2 cases per 100,000 in the last seven days compared with 11 per 100,000 nationally. Hospitalizations remain low and are declining after a slight uptick in late June. So far, the state has reported only one death in July and is predicting a low number of deaths for the month as a whole.
State officials at a press conference Tuesday said vaccinations provide strong protection against the accelerating spread of the Delta variant. Vermont continues to report the highest vaccination rate in the nation, with 82.3% of eligible Vermonters having received at least one dose.
“We’ve had a small increase in cases, likely the result of more transmissible variants,” said Health Commissioner Mark Levine. “But in light of the vaccination rates, we’ve seen no big outbreaks.”
Mike Pieciak, commissioner of the Department of Financial Regulation, said recent cases were highest among Vermonters under age 60 — a demographic group with a lower vaccination rate than those over 60.
Pieciak said the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that 83% of all cases in the United States are the Delta variant. The variant is spreading fastest in the Midwest, particularly in Arkansas and Missouri. Louisiana and Florida have reported rising cases as well.
But the Northeast reported a 65% rise in Covid cases in the past week, although hospitalizations increased less than 5% in the same period.
Quebec, with a vaccination rate on par with Vermont’s — 82% of eligible Quebecois — have at least one dose, and the province saw only a slight change in the number of Covid cases, increasing from 510 last week to 516 this week.
Canada announced Monday that it plans to open its borders to fully vaccinated Americans on Aug. 9. Gov. Phil Scott said he was disappointed that White House officials had deferred on reopening the American border to Canadians.
Scott said he has requested a meeting of all border-state governors to discuss the border reopening.
