As National Coronavirus Death Toll Surpasses 9/11, Conn. Governor Warns Of 'Horrible' Month Ahead

The death toll from COVID-19 in the United States has surpassed the number of people killed on 9/11. The two events can’t be directly compared, but there have been striking similarities: the fear of what’s to come, racism, and a stepped up law enforcement presence.

But the country isn’t exactly uniting the way it did after 9/11. The Atlantic reports on social distancing becoming a political act for some people. And NPR’s Ron Elving wrote nearly two weeks ago that “the sudden emergence of a killer disease rampaging coast to coast has served less to unite us than to emphasize what divides us.”

Here’s the latest on the coronavirus in Connecticut...

Topline

• At least 36 people have died from COVID-19 in Connecticut.
• Insurers Cigna and Humana say they will waive consumer costs associated with COVID-19 treatment. Last week, CVS Health announced that Aetna would waive costs to patients for in-network hospital admissions related to the coronavirus.
• The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is looking at Mohegan Sun and the Connecticut Convention Center as potential health care facilities.

By The Numbers

All numbers are as of March 30 at 7 p.m.

• 36 deaths from COVID-19
• 2,571 confirmed cases
  • Fairfield County: 1,445
  • New Haven County: 373
  • Hartford County: 330
  • Litchfield County: 113
  • Tolland County: 50
  • Middlesex County: 50
  • New London County: 24
  • Windham County: 10
  • Pending address validation: 176
• More than 14,600 people tested

The Latest

• Gov. Ned Lamont says April is going to be a “horrible” month. He spoke on WPLR this morning. He based that analysis on what has happened elsewhere like Washington and Italy. He also said that although there are enough hospital beds statewide, hospitals in Fairfield County are near capacity. Read more from the CT Post.
• Mohegan Sun will remain closed for an additional two weeks. The casino, along with Foxwoods, first closed two weeks ago. Foxwoods has not made an official announcement about its plans yet.
• Cigna, Humana and Aetna won’t require patients being treated for COVID-19 to pay for their portion of the bill. That includes things like deductibles and co-pays. There are caveats to this though, and NPR reports on who this will and won’t affect.

Other Reads On The Coronavirus

• If Most Of Your Coronavirus Tests Come Back Positive, You're Not Testing Enough - Pien Huang for NPR
• People rush to raise backyard chickens amid egg shortages, coronavirus concerns - Emily Davies for The Washington Post
• The Fate of the News in the Age of the Coronavirus - Michael Luo for The New Yorker

When The World Retreats, The Goats Eat

In a seaside town in north Wales, residents have been staying home and a herd of goats is feasting on the flowers and shrubs in town. A local reporter has been documenting the goats’ whereabouts.

As I write this, the Hartford Yard Goats’ Twitter account has not mentioned it yet. But since there’s no baseball to be played, this should give them some social media content in the meantime. Have you seen any new wildlife outside your home? Let me know at tives@ctpublic.org or on Twitter.

Stay safe. Stay sane. Stay distant.