First COVID-19 case in Waterbury is confirmed – Waterbury Republican American

WATERBURY The first positive case of COVID-19 in Waterbury was confirmed Monday.

Mayor Neil M. OLeary also declared an emergency Monday, a move that was not motivated by the first confirmation.

The declaration gives OLeary broad powers over employee work assignments and schedules as needed to respond to a particular threat. OLeary said he doesnt foresee the need to exercise that authority in the short term. The declaration is primarily intended to make Waterbury eligible for federal disaster relief funds, as they become available, he said.

Waterbury began preparing for the anticipated arrival of COVID-19 since mid-January. The city formed a broad task force enlisting representatives from police, fire, health, schools and other departments, as well as leaders from the citys two hospitals. The task force has kept the city abreast of the latest developments and advice, as well as established protocols for quarantines, treatment of patients and various scenarios.

It certainly brings it home, OLeary said of the confirmed case. We were expecting it. I am not surprised.

Adam Rinko, the citys emergency management coordinator, said Monday night the citys health department informed him of an infection in the city. He had no details about the individuals age, gender or occupation.

Rinko said the city has been acting on the presumption there were multiple local undetected infections already. And more are expected.

We were ramping up for this, Rinko said. It was kind of inevitable. We were under the impression there were cases here all along.

Related

See the original post here:

First COVID-19 case in Waterbury is confirmed - Waterbury Republican American