Here’s the latest on the coronavirus outbreak in the region:
New York Governor Andrew Cuomo said high school sports that were banned due to their high-risk of COVID-19 transmission will be able to practice starting in February. He said it will be up to county health departments to allow competitions.
On Long Island, the 7-day COVID-19 positivity rate dipped to 7%. The rest of New York is down to 6%. State data shows Long Island has the lowest vaccination rate for hospital workers at 61%. The rest of New York is at 67%.
The 7-day positivity rate in Connecticut dropped to 5%.
Connecticut Governor Ned Lamont said the state’s coronavirus restrictions for restaurants will remain after Massachusetts eased its restrictions. Lamont said that could change if the infection rate continues to decrease over the next few weeks.
Prison officials in Connecticut said a state inmate has died from complications from the coronavirus. He was the fifth prisoner to die from COVID-19 this month
The state Department of Correction said the 57 year-old inmate died at a hospital on Friday afternoon. Prison officials said he had underlying conditions that led to his death. His name was not released because of medical privacy laws.
He was serving a 40-year sentence for arson and murder relating to crimes in the 1990s.