Here’s the latest on the coronavirus outbreak in the region:
New York has seen some progress in curbing COVID-19 infections in about 20 hotspots.
Governor Andrew Cuomo says the state targeted these “red zones” with intensive testing and restrictions for gatherings, schools and businesses. Cuomo says it protects entire regions and counties from total shutdown.
Long Island and Westchester County, New York have COVID-19 positive rates around 1 percent. Connecticut’s COVID-19 positive rate is back to over 2 percent.
Connecticut has now recovered more than 60 percent of the 291,300 jobs lost during the March-April onset of the pandemic.
The state Department of Labor says 17,000 jobs were added in September — with the hospitality sector leading the state with the largest number of new jobs.
The state’s unemployment rate dropped a fraction of a point to 8.1 percent.
The state of Connecticut will provide up to $9 million in grants to eligible nonprofit arts organizations in the state to help them rehire and reopen during the pandemic.