Vermont health officials have released initial findings from COVID-19 tests being administered in an effort to determine the size of a possible outbreak in the state’s southernmost counties. Health Commissioner Mark Levine joined other state officials for a private press briefing on Thursday, hesitant to label the group of positive tests as an outbreak two days after health officials’ initial announcement. “We don’t have enough information yet to connect all the possible cases or to call this an outbreak,” Levine said. “We are working around the clock to learn more about the situation.” As of Wednesday afternoon, 58 people had tested positive for the disease at Manchester Medical Center through antigen rapid testing — a new, less reliable testing method — but are not yet considered to be lab-confirmed cases. • Latest on COVID-19 in Vermont• Department of Health dataThe Department of Health will not recognize those cases as official until positive results are yielded through nasal swab PCR testing. According to Levine, seven people who tested positive with antigen testing have completed the process; two have been returned with a positive result. Health experts noted the initial pattern as unusual, saying the antigen testing does not typically return false positives.Regardless of limited results, contact tracing and other public safety measures are being administered for those who initially tested positive. Levine is urging Vermonters to take the potential outbreak seriously. “This is not a false alarm,” he said. “There are going to be cases in this geographic part of the state. We want people to take seriously the advice we’ve given them on their prior test result.” More results from PCR testing are expected at the governor’s briefing on COVID-19 Friday morning. Watch: Pop-up test site established in Londonderry More than 300 tests were completed at a pop-up site in Londonderry on Wednesday, 13 miles away from the medical center testing location. Health officials said they will continue to make testing available for anyone who needs it. A new pop-up site has been established by Southwestern Vermont Health Care at Riley Rink, which will operate between 9 a.m. and 3 p.m. for as many days as needed.
MANCHESTER, Vt. —
Vermont health officials have released initial findings from COVID-19 tests being administered in an effort to determine the size of a possible outbreak in the state’s southernmost counties.
Health Commissioner Mark Levine joined other state officials for a private press briefing on Thursday, hesitant to label the group of positive tests as an outbreak two days after health officials’ initial announcement.
“We don’t have enough information yet to connect all the possible cases or to call this an outbreak,” Levine said. “We are working around the clock to learn more about the situation.”
As of Wednesday afternoon, 58 people had tested positive for the disease at Manchester Medical Center through antigen rapid testing — a new, less reliable testing method — but are not yet considered to be lab-confirmed cases.
• Latest on COVID-19 in Vermont
The Department of Health will not recognize those cases as official until positive results are yielded through nasal swab PCR testing. According to Levine, seven people who tested positive with antigen testing have completed the process; two have been returned with a positive result.
Health experts noted the initial pattern as unusual, saying the antigen testing does not typically return false positives.
Regardless of limited results, contact tracing and other public safety measures are being administered for those who initially tested positive. Levine is urging Vermonters to take the potential outbreak seriously.
“This is not a false alarm,” he said. “There are going to be cases in this geographic part of the state. We want people to take seriously the advice we’ve given them on their prior test result.”
More results from PCR testing are expected at the governor’s briefing on COVID-19 Friday morning.
Watch: Pop-up test site established in Londonderry
More than 300 tests were completed at a pop-up site in Londonderry on Wednesday, 13 miles away from the medical center testing location.
Health officials said they will continue to make testing available for anyone who needs it. A new pop-up site has been established by Southwestern Vermont Health Care at Riley Rink, which will operate between 9 a.m. and 3 p.m. for as many days as needed.