Testing reveals more cases; infections jump by 37

By Shawn Cunningham
© 2020 Telegraph Publishing, LLC

The expanded testing regime announced by Health Commissioner Dr. Mark Levine seems to be turning up more new cases than were found when screening was limited to only the very sick. On Friday, Levine said that by having received a larger stockpile of test kits, the state would be able to test those with mild to moderate symptoms for coronavirus. Over the weekend new testing sites – including those in Springfield and Putney – began taking specimen and sending those to labs.

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Today, the Health Department said that the number of those testing positive had risen by 37, the largest single day change since the first positive was announced back on March 7. That brought the total of people found positive for the virus to 293 and the total number of people tested to 4,250 from 3,930 yesterday.

In addition, the department noted that 21 people are hospitalized with Covid-19 which is the disease caused by the coronavirus and that another 52 are hospitalized under investigation for Covid-19. It was also announced that one patient died of Covid-19 bringing the total to 13.