Several towns in the Greater Danbury area have reported their first Coronavirus related deaths.  A Monroe resident in his seventies who tested positive for COVID-19 has died.  New Fairfield officials say a woman over the age of 70, died Thursday.  A Brookfield man in his 50’s was reported as the town's first COVID-19 deaths.  Brookfield has 95 confirmed cases of the virus and 7 people remain hospitalized.

Bethel suffered its first fatality due to COVID-19. The victim was a woman between the ages of 70-79.  First Selectman Matt Knickerbocker says the number of confirmed cases reported in Bethel jumped from 90 to 103 in a 24 hour period.

Although the governor announced that the rate of new infections seems to be slowing, this does not mean social distancing procedures can be relaxed.  Knickerbocker said he shared these numbers not to cause alarm or anxiety, simply to underscore the importance of being vigilant. 

Ridgefield Health Director Ed Briggs reports that while the state systems have been sporadic with reporting, he estimates that the town has 122 active cases of COVID-19 and 15 deaths.  Emergency Management Director Dick Aarons says the volunteer Community Emergency Response Team deserve praise, putting in over 21-hundred hours since March 5th when they were activated.