Update: April 16 8:00 p.m. – State Response to Coronavirus

Friends and Neighbors,

During his nightly press conference and in a press release, Governor Lamont this evening announced an updated listing of nursing homes in the state with residents who have tested positive for the coronavirus.

He also noted that the Department of Labor successfully processed 60,000 unemployment claims just last night utilizing new software updates, and announced that the Connecticut Health and Educational Facilities Authority will administer a new COVID-19 Grant Program focused on funding statewide efforts by 501 (c)(3) Connecticut nonprofit entities responding to the crisis.

To watch a video of the governor’s press conference please click here:

The governor’s full press release can be read here: https://portal.ct.gov/Office-of-the-Governor/News/Press-Releases/2020/04-2020/Governor-Lamont-Coronavirus-Update-April-16

List of nursing homes with residents who have tested positive for COVID-19

The following is a list of nursing homes in Connecticut with residents who have tested positive for COVID-19, along with corresponding data related to the number of cases and fatalities among residents in each facility. Because the collection of this data is a manual process, it is anticipated moving forward that this list will be updated on a weekly basis.

The full list can be found here: https://portal.ct.gov/Office-of-the-Governor/News/Press-Releases/2020/04-2020/Governor-Lamont-Coronavirus-Update-April-16

Connecticut Department of Labor processed 60,000 unemployment claims last night utilizing new software improvements

The Connecticut Department of Labor successfully processed 60,000 unemployment claims overnight utilizing the new software improvements the agency deployed yesterday in response to the overwhelming surge in claim applications resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic. Additional claims will continue to be processed through this new system, helping to expedite the process.

Emails containing next steps that claimants need to take to receive their benefits have been delivered to those whose applications were processed. In addition to checking inboxes, claimants are reminded to check any spam or junk folders for the email.

Since March 13, the department received more than 350,000 applications, nearly the same amount that it typically receives over a two-year period. Approximately 174,000 of those applications had already been manually processed prior to the deployment of yesterday’s software improvements. Paired with the continued manual processing, the originally anticipated six-week wait period is expected to be shortened to one week or less.

CHEFA announces FY 2021 COVID-19 grant program

The board of directors of the Connecticut Health and Educational Facilities Authority (CHEFA) voted at its April 15 meeting to replace their typical three grant cycles (client, nonprofit, and targeted) for FY 2021 to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The FY 20201 CHEFA COVID-19 Grant Program will focus on funding statewide efforts that are currently, or plan to be, launched by 501 (c)(3) Connecticut nonprofit entities within the next few months to respond to the crisis.

The efforts can be focused on statewide programs to support Connecticut communities and residents or can be sector specific statewide funds focused on one or more of CHEFA’s four core priority areas of health care, education, child care, and cultural.

Organizations seeking details may contact Betty Sugarman Weintraub, CHEFA Grant Program Manager, for more information at 860-761-8428 or bweintraub@chefa.com.

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Opening Up America Again – Document

The federal government today released guidelines for “Opening Up America Again.” The document, sent to each of the country’s governor’s, lists proposed state and regional criteria and a phased-in approach to help state and local administrations determine how and when to relax restrictions on businesses and citizens.

You can read that document by clicking here: Guidelines PDF

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As of 4:00 p.m. tonight – Thursday, April 16th – the state has diagnosed a total of 15884 cases of Coronavirus. Updated virus totals and Town-by-Town statistics can be accessed here: https://portal.ct.gov/Coronavirus

The total statewide number of COVID-19 associated fatalities is 971.

Latest COVID-19 Testing Data in Connecticut

Updated 4:00 p.m. on Thursday, April 16, 2020

Total patients who tested positive: 15884

Fairfield County: 6816

Hartford County: 2859

Litchfield County: 535

Middlesex County: 394

New Haven County: 4163

New London County: 255

Tolland County: 241

Windham County: 87

Pending address validation: 534