HARTFORD, Conn. (AP) — Nearly a dozen of Connecticut’s 169 cities and towns were listed Thursday as “high alert” communities for COVID-19 infections. All but two are located in the southeastern part of the state.

Last Thursday, there were only two on the list: Norwich and New London. Democratic Gov. Ned Lamont said it appears there has been a regional spread of infections. Besides Norwich and New London, nearby Canterbury, East Lyme, Griswold, Montville, Preston, Sprague and Windham now have a rate of infection of more than 15 cases diagnosed daily for every 100,000 people.

Hartford and Danbury are also considered to be “high alert” communities, as of Thursday. Lamont’s office is recommending that individuals living in these communities limit trips outside home and avoid gatherings with non-family members. Also, they’re recommending communities cancel public events and limit gathering points; organized groups postpone indoor events; and schools consider more distance learning.

Lamont recently signed an executive order that allows local officials to postpone the state’s third phase of reopening, which includes larger indoor dining capacity at restaurants.

“These are things that the town can do to mitigate the spread, to try and contain the spread, as we see flare-ups around the state and bigger around the entire region,” Lamont said during his COVID-19 briefing. “We’re not like Wisconsin with a 22% infection rate, but do we have areas with 5, 6, 7% infections rates and we do want to try and contain that as best we can.”

Statewide on Thursday, the infection rate was 1.3%, with three more COVID-associated deaths, for a total of 4,540. There were three more hospitalizations since Wednesday, for a total of 191.