<< Back

COVID Cases Surge as New Subvariant Emerges

May 10, 2022

Most of Connecticut is back in the COVID “red zone” with an 11.3 percent positivity rate – the highest it’s been since January.

Just in the past week alone in Connecticut, 75,030 tests have been reported with 8,476 of them positive.

This bad news has left some wondering why COVID is not in their rear-view mirror by now.

“It’s what I have been saying all along,” said Ulysses Wu, MD, Chief Epidemiologist and Medical Director of Infectious Disease for Hartford HealthCare. “We should have been on the downslide and safe until fall, but my one caveat was the rise of variants, and that is what is going on now.”

What is going on now is a new Omicron subvariant, B.A.d.12.1, is likely to become the dominant strain in the United States in the next few weeks.

Since COVID doesn’t seem to be going anywhere anytime soon, vaccination remains the best way to protect yourself. Dr. Wu recommends all adults get their second booster.

In addition, people should wear masks when indoors with crowds, employ social distancing and stay home if they are sick.

To check on your town’s COVID positivity rate, visit Connecticut COVID-19 Data Tracker.

To get tested, visit How do I know if I should be tested for COVID-19? Where do I go and what do I need to do? (ct.gov).