Vermont Health Commissioner Dr. Mark Levine said more than 1,000 people have turned out for testing after they first reported an outbreak in Winooski Friday. As of last night, there are a total of 62 cases that are believed to be associated with the outbreak — 48 Winooski residents, nine Burlington residents, and five people from other towns in Chittendon County tested positive for coronavirus, Levine said.
Of the cases, 38 are adults and 24 are children, Levine said.
“The age range is from 1 to 64 with a median age of 21,” Levine said, adding that there have no reports of hospitalizations and no deaths associated with this outbreak.
The state is experiencing an overall uptick in cases but the positivity rate remains low, Levine said. There are 1,075 cases of coronavirus in Vermont, at least 895 people have recovered, and the death total, which hasn’t changed in several weeks, is 55.
The health department epidemiology team is working to determine whether the cases in Burlington are linked to the Winooski cases, or if there is the possibility of unrelated transmission in Burlington. They will continue to offer testing every day in Winooski and Burlington and Levine says he expects the number of cases to rise over the coming days.
Levine said that many of the people who tested positive did not know they were affected and about one in five people reported they have symptoms. This could be because they were told very early on and haven’t had symptoms yet or it could mean they are asymptomatic, Levine said.
“Let me now reassure everyone, no matter who you are or where you live, you can still walk the streets of Winooski and Burlington, or any other community in Vermont, but please continue to take the same precautions we have been advising all along,” Levine said. “Wear a facial covering, keep a six-foot distance from others, wash your hands a lot, and of course if you are feeling ill, stay home.”