FAIRFIELD, CT – A Fairfield student who tested positive for the coronavirus in late January had the new, more contagious variant of the disease in the UK, officials said on Friday.
“I want to remind students and staff to be careful, especially since the COVID-19 B117 (UK) variant has been identified in Connecticut,” Superintendent Mike Cummings said in a message to parents on Friday. “It’s important for everyone to keep wearing your mask, washing your hands and keeping a safe distance from those outside your household.”
The student who contracted the variant completed isolation and everyone in contact with the student was placed in quarantine, Cummings said. According to the director of communications Andrea Clark, the school district will not disclose which school the student is going to.
“The health department has consulted the CT department of public health and at this stage no further action is needed,” Cummings said, adding that 42 people in the state had tested positive for the UK variant.
Despite the presence of the variant, virus data tends, with fewer hospitalizations and deaths, according to Cummings and First Selectwoman Brenda Kupchick, who also discussed the B117 case in her weekly email to residents.
From January 31 to February 6, Fairfield saw 103 confirmed cases of coronavirus, compared to 192 confirmed cases the week of December 27 to January 2, according to town data. The Fairfield Department of Health has administered 6,958 vaccines, with another 4,700 appointments scheduled for February.
Since the pandemic hit Connecticut in March last year, Fairfield has recorded 3,942 cases and killed 194 residents in connection with the virus. Within the Fairfield school district, 374 students and 108 staff members recovered from the virus. Another ten students and two staff members recently tested positive.