(HARTFORD, CT) – As the State of Connecticut continues taking actions in response to the global spread of coronavirus disease (COVID-19), Governor Ned Lamont provided the following updates as of 3:00 p.m. on Thursday, March 23, 2023:

Data updates on testing in Connecticut

The following is a summary of newly reported data on COVID-19 in Connecticut from the past 7 days.

Overall Summary                                                      Cumulative                         Past 7 days
                                                                   (except for hospital census)

Positive PCR/NAAT Tests                                            1,064,623                               +673

All PCR/NAAT Tests                                                   16,394,878                            +16,054

Test Positivity (pos/all PCR/NAAT)                                     --                                     4.19%

Patients Currently Hospitalized with COVID-19                   119                                     -37

COVID-19 Associated Deaths                                        12,270                                  +12

To read the full data report, visit data.ct.gov/coronavirus and click the button labeled, “Data Report.” That website also contains several other data reports, including on the topics of vaccinations, schools, nursing homes, child care, congregate settings, and economic impact.

Data updates on vaccine administration in Connecticut

The following data on updated (bivalent) COVID-19 vaccinations in Connecticut was reported to the CT WiZ immunization information system as of March 18, 2023.

Total number of people age 5 and older who have received an updated (bivalent) booster: 814,634

Percent of people age 5 and older who have received an updated (bivalent) booster:

    55% of those 75+
    51% of those 65-74
    31% of those 55-64
    20% of those 45-54
    17% of those 35-44
    13% of those 25-34
    11% of those 15-24
    7% of those 5-14

For more data on updated (bivalent) COVID-19 booster vaccinations for people over the age of 5, click here. For more data on people under the age of 5, click here.

An updated (bivalent) COVID-19 booster vaccination is recommended for everyone age 5 and older if it has been at least two months since the last primary series dose. Currently, a bivalent booster is recommended for children 6 months to 4 years old who have completed the Moderna, but not Pfizer, primary series at least two months ago. For information on the CDC’s COVID-19 vaccination recommendations, click here.

To locate a vaccination clinic in Connecticut, visit ct.gov/covidvaccine.

Data updates on variants in Connecticut

The following data contains the cumulative number of SARS-CoV-2 variants that have been identified among Connecticut residents as of today:

    Omicron: 32,013 cases
    Delta: 17,231 cases
    Alpha: 2,524 cases
    Iota: 1,083 cases
    Other: 1,051 cases
    Gamma: 137 cases
    Mu: 84 cases
    Epsilon: 60 cases
    Lambda: 38 cases
    Beta: 23 cases
    Eta: 10 cases
    Kappa: 2 cases
    Zeta: 1 case

For more information on variants, see pages 5 and 6 of this week’s extended COVID-19 data report.

Providing information to Connecticut residents

For the most up-to-date information from the State of Connecticut on COVID-19, residents are encouraged to visit ct.gov/coronavirus. Residents can also subscribe to text message alerts from the state by texting the keyword COVIDCT to 888-777.

Individuals who have general questions that are not answered on the website can call 2-1-1 for assistance. The hotline is available 24 hours a day and has multilingual assistance. Anyone who is out-of-state or requires a toll-free number can connect to Connecticut 2-1-1 by dialing 1-800-203-1234. This is intended to be used by individuals who are not experiencing symptoms but may have general questions related to COVID-19. Anyone who is experiencing symptoms are strongly urged to contact their medical provider.