Trends in short
- On December 14, the United States administered the first COVID-19 vaccine. Developed by Pfizer-BioNTech, it was the first vaccine to receive FDA approval to protect against the transmission of SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19.[1] Today, a second vaccine developed by Moderna Inc. is being distributed throughout the country after receiving FDA approval last week.[2]
- New COVID-19 cases in the US continue to rise and may be set for another increase due to the winter holidays. In the past week there has been a daily average of 216,070 new coronavirus cases per day.[3]
- Although new cases in Connecticut continue to rise, they may have reached a temporary high plateau. The state is currently seeing an average of 2,289 new cases per day, compared to 2,162 cases per day two weeks ago.[4]
- The number of daily COVID-19 cases are falling slightly in Rhode Island. The state is seeing an average of 999 new cases per day this week compared to 1,169 cases per two weeks ago.[5]
International case numbers
- 76,948,621 COVID-19 cases worldwide; 1,695,606 deaths; 43,391,462 recovered.[6]
- The United States continues to have the highest number of COVID-19 cases at 17,850,936 cases. India has the second highest number of cases with 10,055,560 cases, Brazil third with 7,238,600, and Russia fourth with 2,850,042.[7]
- The European Medicine Agency, which is run by the European Union, approved the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine today. It now plans to buy, approve, and distribute vaccine doses throughout the European Union.[8]
- A new strain of the coronavirus has been identified in the United Kingdom and South Africa. This new variant appears to be 65-70% more contagious than the first identified SARS-CoV-2 virus however researchers have not established whether it is more harmful. In response, the UK has tightened coronavirus-related restrictions within the country and several European countries have banned travel from the UK.[9]
Distribution of new coronavirus cases and deaths worldwide each week (from The World Health Organization COVID-19 Weekly Situation Update, as of 12/13/2020).[10]
US National case numbers
- 17,850,936 cases of coronavirus confirmed by lab tests, 317,686 deaths, and more than 5,700,000 recovered cases. 230,118,657 total tests have been conducted.[11]
- The highest-risk states in the country are currently Tennessee, California, Rhode Island, Arizona, and Oklahoma. Tennessee, which is seeing 9,340 new cases per day, has seen a 92% increase in COVID-19 cases over the past two weeks.[12]
- The US COVID-19 testing system is now processing about 2 million tests daily, enough to test those who have symptoms of COVID-19, a smaller number of those who believe they may have come into contact with someone who is carrying coronavirus, and essential workers.[13] It is still not enough to detect a significant number of asymptomatic carriers who are still thought to be the greatest contributors to the spread of COVID-19. The inability to effectively test a large portion of asymptomatic people is complicating the country’s ability to slow the spread of the coronavirus.
Risk in population
COVID-19 deaths reported to National Center for Health Statistics as of December 16, 2020[14]
| Age group | Total number of deaths | Percentage of reported deaths |
| 0-24 | 553 | 0.20% |
| 25-44 | 7,070 | 2.56% |
| 45-54 | 13,580 | 4.92% |
| 55-64 | 33,378 | 12.09% |
| 65-74 | 59,056 | 21.39% |
| 75+ | 162,424 | 58.84% |
Provisional Death Counts for COVID-19 by Demographic Characteristics as of December 16, 2020[15]
| Population Total | |
| Female | 45.82% |
| Male | 54.18% |
| White | 40.90% |
| Black | 15.00% |
| American Indian or Alaskan Native | 0.30% |
| Asian | 9.60% |
| Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander | 0.10% |
| Hispanic | 32.00% |
| Other | 2.00% |
Known cases in Connecticut (call 211 or text “CTCOVID” to 898211 for information)
- As of December 17, 2020 there were 162,782 confirmed and probable cases (+22,234 from December 9), 1,167 hospitalizations (-90 from December 9), and 5,581 deaths (+414 from November 22). 3,936,069 patients have been tested in the state with a 6.85% daily positivity rate.[16]
- All eight counties have seen at least a 12.5% increase in case counts in the past two weeks.
- Confirmed and probable cases[17]
- Fairfield County: 50,614 cases, 1,628 deaths
- Hartford County: 40,611 cases, 1,733 deaths
- Litchfield County: 6,515 cases, 205 deaths
- Middlesex County: 5,367 cases, 228 deaths
- New Haven County: 41,723 cases, 1,425 deaths
- New London County: 8,940 cases, 211 deaths
- Tolland County: 4,197 cases, 100 deaths
- Windham County: 4,153 cases, 51 deaths
Cumulative Cases and Deaths in CT with Percent Increase from Previous Reporting Period by County
| County | Dec. 17 | Dec. 8 | Nov. 23 | Nov. 6 | Oct. 26 |
| Fairfield Cases (% increase) Deaths (% increase) | 50,614 (12.5) 1,628 (3.2) | 44,980 (27.5) 1,577 (6.8) | 35,272 (27.6) 1,477 (1.9) | 27,65 (19.8) 1,450 (1.2) | 22,322 (7.6) 1,430 (0.3) |
| Hartford Cases (% increase) Deaths (% increase) | 40,611 (17.7) 1,733 (4.1) | 34,516 (30.6) 1,664 (6.0) | 26,424 (29.5) 1,570 (3.4) | 20,409 (15.5) 1,518 (3.3) | 17,062 (10.0) 1,464 (1.5) |
| Litchfield Cases (% increase) Deaths (% increase) | 6,515 (17.7) 205 (12.6) | 5,569 (44.5) 182 (13.8) | 3,853 (42.5) 160 (8.1) | 2,704 (22.4) 148 (3.5) | 2,116 (10.3) 143 (1.4) |
| Middlesex Cases (% increase) Deaths (% increase) | 5,367 (18.4) 228 (6.0) | 4,534 (35.0) 215 (7.5) | 3,358 (43.8) 200 (1.0) | 2,335 (19.3) 198 (0.5) | 1,873 (12.4) 196 (1.6) |
| New Haven Cases (% increase) Deaths (% increase) | 41,723 (16.8) 1,425 (6.7) | 35,720 (34.6) 1,336 (11.1) | 26,531 (32.3) 1,202 (5.1) | 20,053 (20.0) 1,144 (1.6) | 16,073 (8.0) 1,123 (0.4) |
| New London Cases (% increase) Deaths (% increase) | 8,940 (21.9) 211 (11.6) | 7,335 (31.2) 189 (16.0) | 5,592 (29.3) 163 (8.7) | 4,326 (17.1) 150 (7.1) | 3,456 (34.5) 136 (8.0) |
| Tolland Cases (% increase) Deaths (% increase) | 4,197 (17.0) 100 (16.3) | 3,588 (27.1) 86 (19.4) | 2,824 (41.8) 72 (5.9) | 1,991 (14.6) 68 (0.0) | 1,689 (12.5) 68 (1.5) |
| Windham Cases (% increase) Deaths (% increase) | 4,153 (26.2) 51 (41.7) | 3,290 (42.2) 36 (33.3) | 2,313 (37.3) 27 (28.6) | 1,685 (19.7) 21 (16.7) | 1,324 (19.5) 17 (0.0) |
Connecticut Cumulative Statistics by Month for Age and Race/Ethnicity
| COVID Cases (Deaths) by Age | Dec. 17 | Dec. 8 |
| 0 – 9 cases (deaths) | 7,292 (1) | 6,110 (1) |
| 10 – 19 cases (deaths) | 15,582 (2) | 13,523 (1) |
| 20 – 29 cases (deaths) | 27,872 (5) | 24,576 (6) |
| 30 – 39 cases (deaths) | 25,172 (26) | 22,082 (26) |
| 40 – 49 cases (deaths) | 22,857 (79) | 20,011 (77) |
| 50 – 59 cases (deaths) | 24,986 (239) | 21,833 (229) |
| 60 – 69 cases (deaths) | 17,664 (703) | 15,479 (658) |
| 70 – 79 cases (deaths) | 10,089 (1,218) | 8,896 (1,157) |
| 80+ cases (deaths) | 11,231 (3,308) | 10,411 (3,172) |
| COVID Cases (Deaths) by Race/Ethnicity | ||
| Hispanic cases (deaths) | 27,869 (526) | 24,868 (494) |
| American Indian or Alaskan Native cases (deaths) | 269 (3) | 227 (2) |
| Asian or Pacific Islander cases (deaths) | 1,780 (64) | 1,577 (57) |
| Black cases (deaths) | 12,984 (756) | 11,787 (739) |
| Multiracial cases (deaths) | 4,317 (56) | 3,082 (47) |
| Other cases (deaths) | 6,234 (25) | 5,167 (24) |
| White cases (deaths) | 49,960 (4,084) | 43,767 (3,906) |
| Unknown cases (deaths) | 59,369 (67) | 52,5004 (58) |
- The Yale New Haven Health System currently has 383 hospitalized patients with a COVID-19 diagnosis, down from the peak of this surge two weeks ago when 447 patients were hospitalized in the system. For context, at the height of the April peak in cases 750 patients were hospitalized.
- Yale New Haven Health Hospital currently has 197 patients, 52 of whom are in the ICU and 32 of whom are on ventilators. Greenwich Hospital currently has 39 patients, Westerly Hospital has 19, Bridgeport Hospital has 100, and Lawrence and Memorial Hospital has 28.
Connecticut developments
- Following FDA approval of the COVID-19 vaccines from Pfizer and Moderna, Connecticut received doses and began vaccinating front-line hospital staff. Vaccines from Pfizer arrived on December 14 and vaccines from Moderna on December 21. Vaccines are only expected to be administered to healthcare workers and nursing home residents until the end of January.[18]
- Connecticut is currently in phase A1 of vaccine distribution, under which all persons serving in healthcare settings with the potential for exposure to COVID-19, long-term care facility residents, and first responders can receive vaccination.[19] This plan, however, does not prioritize within these categories, which may cause equity issues in which front-line personnel do not receive a vaccine ahead of people with less risk of exposure.
- A new travel advisory effective December 19 will require all travelers (except from NJ, NY, RI) to quarantine for 10 days or test negative.[20]
- Governor Lamont is facing increased pressure to intensify COVID-related restrictions as the number of Connecticut’s cases rise and neighboring states impose stricter measures. Current restrictions include limiting private gatherings to 10 people, requiring restaurants to close early, and discontinuing most sports.[21]
- Connecticut is using a contact tracing phone application. Phones that are running the app can note which other phones they are close to and then alert users if they have been in close contact with someone who tests positive for COVID-19. Currently, only about 20% of cellphones in Connecticut are using the app but wider use could lead to more reliable contact tracing efforts.[22]
Known cases in Rhode Island (call 401-222-8022 for information)
- As of December 18, 2020[23]
- 77,812 confirmed cumulative cases (+10,745 from 12/8/20; a 16.02% increase in the two-week period)
- 1,817,360 total tests conducted (+154,072 from 12/8/20)
- 459 patients currently hospitalized (+15 from 12/8/20)
- 56 patients currently in ICU (+13 from 12/8/20)
- 1,625 deaths in the state (+155 from 12/8/20)
Rhode Island developments
- Rhode Island’s “pause” in operations was lifted today. Governor Raimondo cited decreases in new daily COVID-19 cases in the state as a reason to lift the pause. Gyms, casinos, indoor recreation facilities, and restaurants are now allowed to open again and operate at 50% indoor capacity. However, social gatherings for the holidays are still limited to single households.[24]
- Rhode Island remains one of the highest-risk states in the country in terms of COVID-19 transmission and death. In the past week, the state had the third-highest number of new cases, the fourth-most number of deaths, and was number 10 in terms of people hospitalized due to COVID-19.[25]
- The Rhode Island COVID-19 subcommittee approved the use of the Moderna Inc. vaccine today, one week after approving the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine. In anticipation of hospitals receiving the Moderna vaccination, the state is allotting a majority of its Pfizer vaccines this week to nursing home patients who have seen the highest mortality and morbidity during the COVID-19 pandemic.[26]
Trends in short
- On December 14, the United States administered the first COVID-19 vaccine. Developed by Pfizer-BioNTech, it was the first vaccine to receive FDA approval to protect against the transmission of SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19.[1] Today, a second vaccine developed by Moderna Inc. is being distributed throughout the country after receiving FDA approval last week.[2]
- New COVID-19 cases in the US continue to rise and may be set for another increase due to the winter holidays. In the past week there has been a daily average of 216,070 new coronavirus cases per day.[3]
- Although new cases in Connecticut continue to rise, they may have reached a temporary high plateau. The state is currently seeing an average of 2,289 new cases per day, compared to 2,162 cases per day two weeks ago.[4]
- The number of daily COVID-19 cases are falling slightly in Rhode Island. The state is seeing an average of 999 new cases per day this week compared to 1,169 cases per two weeks ago.[5]
International case numbers
- 76,948,621 COVID-19 cases worldwide; 1,695,606 deaths; 43,391,462 recovered.[6]
- The United States continues to have the highest number of COVID-19 cases at 17,850,936 cases. India has the second highest number of cases with 10,055,560 cases, Brazil third with 7,238,600, and Russia fourth with 2,850,042.[7]
- The European Medicine Agency, which is run by the European Union, approved the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine today. It now plans to buy, approve, and distribute vaccine doses throughout the European Union.[8]
- A new strain of the coronavirus has been identified in the United Kingdom and South Africa. This new variant appears to be 65-70% more contagious than the first identified SARS-CoV-2 virus however researchers have not established whether it is more harmful. In response, the UK has tightened coronavirus-related restrictions within the country and several European countries have banned travel from the UK.[9]
Distribution of new coronavirus cases and deaths worldwide each week (from The World Health Organization COVID-19 Weekly Situation Update, as of 12/13/2020).[10]
US National case numbers
- 17,850,936 cases of coronavirus confirmed by lab tests, 317,686 deaths, and more than 5,700,000 recovered cases. 230,118,657 total tests have been conducted.[11]
- The highest-risk states in the country are currently Tennessee, California, Rhode Island, Arizona, and Oklahoma. Tennessee, which is seeing 9,340 new cases per day, has seen a 92% increase in COVID-19 cases over the past two weeks.[12]
- The US COVID-19 testing system is now processing about 2 million tests daily, enough to test those who have symptoms of COVID-19, a smaller number of those who believe they may have come into contact with someone who is carrying coronavirus, and essential workers.[13] It is still not enough to detect a significant number of asymptomatic carriers who are still thought to be the greatest contributors to the spread of COVID-19. The inability to effectively test a large portion of asymptomatic people is complicating the country’s ability to slow the spread of the coronavirus.
Risk in population
COVID-19 deaths reported to National Center for Health Statistics as of December 16, 2020[14]
| Age group | Total number of deaths | Percentage of reported deaths |
| 0-24 | 553 | 0.20% |
| 25-44 | 7,070 | 2.56% |
| 45-54 | 13,580 | 4.92% |
| 55-64 | 33,378 | 12.09% |
| 65-74 | 59,056 | 21.39% |
| 75+ | 162,424 | 58.84% |
Provisional Death Counts for COVID-19 by Demographic Characteristics as of December 16, 2020[15]
| Population Total | |
| Female | 45.82% |
| Male | 54.18% |
| White | 40.90% |
| Black | 15.00% |
| American Indian or Alaskan Native | 0.30% |
| Asian | 9.60% |
| Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander | 0.10% |
| Hispanic | 32.00% |
| Other | 2.00% |
Known cases in Connecticut (call 211 or text “CTCOVID” to 898211 for information)
- As of December 17, 2020 there were 162,782 confirmed and probable cases (+22,234 from December 9), 1,167 hospitalizations (-90 from December 9), and 5,581 deaths (+414 from November 22). 3,936,069 patients have been tested in the state with a 6.85% daily positivity rate.[16]
- All eight counties have seen at least a 12.5% increase in case counts in the past two weeks.
- Confirmed and probable cases[17]
- Fairfield County: 50,614 cases, 1,628 deaths
- Hartford County: 40,611 cases, 1,733 deaths
- Litchfield County: 6,515 cases, 205 deaths
- Middlesex County: 5,367 cases, 228 deaths
- New Haven County: 41,723 cases, 1,425 deaths
- New London County: 8,940 cases, 211 deaths
- Tolland County: 4,197 cases, 100 deaths
- Windham County: 4,153 cases, 51 deaths
Cumulative Cases and Deaths in CT with Percent Increase from Previous Reporting Period by County
| County | Dec. 17 | Dec. 8 | Nov. 23 | Nov. 6 | Oct. 26 |
| Fairfield Cases (% increase) Deaths (% increase) | 50,614 (12.5) 1,628 (3.2) | 44,980 (27.5) 1,577 (6.8) | 35,272 (27.6) 1,477 (1.9) | 27,65 (19.8) 1,450 (1.2) | 22,322 (7.6) 1,430 (0.3) |
| Hartford Cases (% increase) Deaths (% increase) | 40,611 (17.7) 1,733 (4.1) | 34,516 (30.6) 1,664 (6.0) | 26,424 (29.5) 1,570 (3.4) | 20,409 (15.5) 1,518 (3.3) | 17,062 (10.0) 1,464 (1.5) |
| Litchfield Cases (% increase) Deaths (% increase) | 6,515 (17.7) 205 (12.6) | 5,569 (44.5) 182 (13.8) | 3,853 (42.5) 160 (8.1) | 2,704 (22.4) 148 (3.5) | 2,116 (10.3) 143 (1.4) |
| Middlesex Cases (% increase) Deaths (% increase) | 5,367 (18.4) 228 (6.0) | 4,534 (35.0) 215 (7.5) | 3,358 (43.8) 200 (1.0) | 2,335 (19.3) 198 (0.5) | 1,873 (12.4) 196 (1.6) |
| New Haven Cases (% increase) Deaths (% increase) | 41,723 (16.8) 1,425 (6.7) | 35,720 (34.6) 1,336 (11.1) | 26,531 (32.3) 1,202 (5.1) | 20,053 (20.0) 1,144 (1.6) | 16,073 (8.0) 1,123 (0.4) |
| New London Cases (% increase) Deaths (% increase) | 8,940 (21.9) 211 (11.6) | 7,335 (31.2) 189 (16.0) | 5,592 (29.3) 163 (8.7) | 4,326 (17.1) 150 (7.1) | 3,456 (34.5) 136 (8.0) |
| Tolland Cases (% increase) Deaths (% increase) | 4,197 (17.0) 100 (16.3) | 3,588 (27.1) 86 (19.4) | 2,824 (41.8) 72 (5.9) | 1,991 (14.6) 68 (0.0) | 1,689 (12.5) 68 (1.5) |
| Windham Cases (% increase) Deaths (% increase) | 4,153 (26.2) 51 (41.7) | 3,290 (42.2) 36 (33.3) | 2,313 (37.3) 27 (28.6) | 1,685 (19.7) 21 (16.7) | 1,324 (19.5) 17 (0.0) |
Connecticut Cumulative Statistics by Month for Age and Race/Ethnicity
| COVID Cases (Deaths) by Age | Dec. 17 | Dec. 8 |
| 0 – 9 cases (deaths) | 7,292 (1) | 6,110 (1) |
| 10 – 19 cases (deaths) | 15,582 (2) | 13,523 (1) |
| 20 – 29 cases (deaths) | 27,872 (5) | 24,576 (6) |
| 30 – 39 cases (deaths) | 25,172 (26) | 22,082 (26) |
| 40 – 49 cases (deaths) | 22,857 (79) | 20,011 (77) |
| 50 – 59 cases (deaths) | 24,986 (239) | 21,833 (229) |
| 60 – 69 cases (deaths) | 17,664 (703) | 15,479 (658) |
| 70 – 79 cases (deaths) | 10,089 (1,218) | 8,896 (1,157) |
| 80+ cases (deaths) | 11,231 (3,308) | 10,411 (3,172) |
| COVID Cases (Deaths) by Race/Ethnicity | ||
| Hispanic cases (deaths) | 27,869 (526) | 24,868 (494) |
| American Indian or Alaskan Native cases (deaths) | 269 (3) | 227 (2) |
| Asian or Pacific Islander cases (deaths) | 1,780 (64) | 1,577 (57) |
| Black cases (deaths) | 12,984 (756) | 11,787 (739) |
| Multiracial cases (deaths) | 4,317 (56) | 3,082 (47) |
| Other cases (deaths) | 6,234 (25) | 5,167 (24) |
| White cases (deaths) | 49,960 (4,084) | 43,767 (3,906) |
| Unknown cases (deaths) | 59,369 (67) | 52,5004 (58) |
- The Yale New Haven Health System currently has 383 hospitalized patients with a COVID-19 diagnosis, down from the peak of this surge two weeks ago when 447 patients were hospitalized in the system. For context, at the height of the April peak in cases 750 patients were hospitalized.
- Yale New Haven Health Hospital currently has 197 patients, 52 of whom are in the ICU and 32 of whom are on ventilators. Greenwich Hospital currently has 39 patients, Westerly Hospital has 19, Bridgeport Hospital has 100, and Lawrence and Memorial Hospital has 28.
Connecticut developments
- Following FDA approval of the COVID-19 vaccines from Pfizer and Moderna, Connecticut received doses and began vaccinating front-line hospital staff. Vaccines from Pfizer arrived on December 14 and vaccines from Moderna on December 21. Vaccines are only expected to be administered to healthcare workers and nursing home residents until the end of January.[18]
- Connecticut is currently in phase A1 of vaccine distribution, under which all persons serving in healthcare settings with the potential for exposure to COVID-19, long-term care facility residents, and first responders can receive vaccination.[19] This plan, however, does not prioritize within these categories, which may cause equity issues in which front-line personnel do not receive a vaccine ahead of people with less risk of exposure.
- A new travel advisory effective December 19 will require all travelers (except from NJ, NY, RI) to quarantine for 10 days or test negative.[20]
- Governor Lamont is facing increased pressure to intensify COVID-related restrictions as the number of Connecticut’s cases rise and neighboring states impose stricter measures. Current restrictions include limiting private gatherings to 10 people, requiring restaurants to close early, and discontinuing most sports.[21]
- Connecticut is using a contact tracing phone application. Phones that are running the app can note which other phones they are close to and then alert users if they have been in close contact with someone who tests positive for COVID-19. Currently, only about 20% of cellphones in Connecticut are using the app but wider use could lead to more reliable contact tracing efforts.[22]
Known cases in Rhode Island (call 401-222-8022 for information)
- As of December 18, 2020[23]
- 77,812 confirmed cumulative cases (+10,745 from 12/8/20; a 16.02% increase in the two-week period)
- 1,817,360 total tests conducted (+154,072 from 12/8/20)
- 459 patients currently hospitalized (+15 from 12/8/20)
- 56 patients currently in ICU (+13 from 12/8/20)
- 1,625 deaths in the state (+155 from 12/8/20)
Rhode Island developments
- Rhode Island’s “pause” in operations was lifted today. Governor Raimondo cited decreases in new daily COVID-19 cases in the state as a reason to lift the pause. Gyms, casinos, indoor recreation facilities, and restaurants are now allowed to open again and operate at 50% indoor capacity. However, social gatherings for the holidays are still limited to single households.[24]
- Rhode Island remains one of the highest-risk states in the country in terms of COVID-19 transmission and death. In the past week, the state had the third-highest number of new cases, the fourth-most number of deaths, and was number 10 in terms of people hospitalized due to COVID-19.[25]
- The Rhode Island COVID-19 subcommittee approved the use of the Moderna Inc. vaccine today, one week after approving the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine. In anticipation of hospitals receiving the Moderna vaccination, the state is allotting a majority of its Pfizer vaccines this week to nursing home patients who have seen the highest mortality and morbidity during the COVID-19 pandemic.[26]
CovidTracker 