COVID-19: Death toll climbs to 3 in Windsor nursing home outbreak; Enfield mulling masks

WINDSOR — Two more residents have died in a COVID-19 outbreak at Cedar Hill Health Care, a nursing home in Windsor, according to the facility’s director.

One resident died in late August in the outbreak, which began Aug. 18 and has included a total of 34 cases, including 23 residents and 11 employees, said Patricia Horn, executive director of Cedar Hill Continuing Care Community, which includes the nursing home. All of the residents and seven of the infected employees were vaccinated.

The two new deaths occurred in the past week and bring the Cedar Hill outbreak’s death toll to three.

Just two residents continue to have active infections. They are expected to recover, Horn said. The infected employees have returned to work. The recovered residents are having outdoor visits with their families and are gathering in small socially distanced groups with other residents, Horn said. Many also are participating in rehabilitation therapy.

In Newport, N.H., Woodlawn Care Center has reported three recent COVID-19 cases, including two employees and one resident, according to the facility’s Facebook page. All three are vaccinated.

ENFIELD — The Enfield Selectboard will hold a public hearing about face masks at 6 p.m. on Sept. 20.

The Selectboard will discuss whether to pass a resolution or take other actions regarding face masks in light of the rising COVID-19 case numbers. Last month, the board voted unanimously during its regular meeting to require people to wear face coverings within the town’s municipal buildings.

The meeting will take place in person at the Public Works Facility at 74 Lockehaven Road and can also be streamed via Zoom at enfield.nh.us/board-selectmen/events/51096.

WHITE RIVER JUNCTION — A case of COVID-19 identified at Hartford Memorial Middle School last week resulted in the quarantine of 21 people, according to the superintendent.

The district worked with the Vermont Department of Health on contact tracing and found 31 close contacts at the 6-through-8 grade school, said Tom DeBalsi, Hartford’s superintendent.

Hartford is not requiring vaccinated close contacts to quarantine following exposure to a positive case unless they develop symptoms, according to the district’s reopening plan.

SPRINGFIELD, Vt. — All employees and inmates at Southern State Correctional Facility were to be tested for COVID-19 on Wednesday, after two workers there tested positive on Sept. 2, according to the Vermont Department of Corrections. There were no current cases in inmates in the Springfield facility as of Tuesday, according to the department’s online dashboard.

Statewide as of Tuesday, there were 15 COVID-positive inmates and three COVID-positive staff in four of Vermont’s six correctional facilities.