Connecticut saw another increase in COVID-related hospitalizations Tuesday, though the positivity rate decreased from the day before. Also, Litchfield County has reached what the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention call "substantial" transmission, meaning all of Connecticut is seeing a significant spread of the virus.
There are 165 people currently hospitalized with the virus, the highest we've seen since May and a net increase of 17 from the day before.
Of 11,253 tests reported Tuesday, 277 came back positive for a positivity rate of 2.46%, down from 3.18% on Monday.
Get Connecticut local news, weather forecasts and entertainment stories to your inbox. Sign up for NBC Connecticut newsletters.
The state is only releasing numbers on COVID-19 deaths weekly, on Thursdays. At last report, there were 8,293 deaths in Connecticut since the start of the pandemic.
Local
State officials have been urging the public to get vaccinated, saying it is the best defense against the virus and the spreading delta variant.
The state Department of Public Health is recommending that everyone over the age of 2 wear a mask in indoor public spaces, regardless of vaccination status. This is in keeping with guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, which is recommending universal masking in areas seeing "substantial" or "high" COVID-19 transmission. Every county in Connecticut has reached that threshold as of Tuesday, according to the CDC COVID Data Tracker.
Some towns and cities have reinstituted mask mandates at municipal buildings, though the state has not announced a new mandate. Some colleges and universities have also adjusted mask-wearing policies.
