State: Covid cases soar to winter highs, hospitalizations rise, three more perish

Staff report

Hospitalizations continue to reach recent highs, according to data from the Vermont Dept. of Health. As of Tuesday, Sept. 14, 43 people were hospitalized for Covid, with nine in intensive care. That’s the highest daily count of hospitalizations during the current surge for the second day in a row, according to the state.

Of those 43 people, 36 were unvaccinated and seven were fully vaccinated, Gov. Phil Scott said during Tuesday’s Covid-19 press conference.

Michael Pieciak, commissioner of financial regulation, reported that on average, 71% of all recent hospitalizations were among the unvaccinated. On average, 79% of all recent critical care stays were also among the unvaccinated, he said.

One new death was reported in the 50-59 age group, and two were reported in the 80+ age group. In September, thus far, 13 people have died — 291 have died throughout the pandemic, according to data from the Dept. of Health.

The health department also published new weekly data on cases in schools and long-term care facilities.

As of Tuesday, there were 78 new cases across 50 schools this week, with 159 total cases reported for the school year so far.

The state’s weekly school data is not comprehensive, however, as the department only counts them as school cases if the Covid-positive individual was physically present in a school building, at a school-related event or on the bus while infectious.

As of Monday, 134 people were associated with outbreaks in seven long-term care facilities (30 of which were at Cedar Hill Skilled Nursing Facility in Windsor. No other facility in Rutland or Windsor county reported cases.)

The state’s vaccine dashboard, shows 87% of eligible Vermonters have received at least one dose of the vaccine as of Monday, Sept. 13 and 68.7% of the state’s total population is fully vaccinated, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Putting Vermont once again first in the nation according to the CDC’s scorecard.

One pop-up vaccination clinic will be held in Rutland county and one will be held in Windsor county this week, both on Thursday, Sept. 16. Anyone over 12 years old is welcome to just walk-in or visit healthvermont.gov/MyVaccine  or call 855-722-7878.

• Rutland District Office, 88 Merchants Row, Rutland.
• Health Care & Rehabilitation Services – Springfield, 390 River Street, Springfield.