Dear Suffield Community & Town Employees,
We are deeply saddened to report that the first of our residents has died from COVID-19 as confirmed by The Suffield House. Though the Connecticut Department of Public Health (CTDPH) has not made the official verification yet, in the interest of timeliness, we felt it appropriate to inform the public. In watching the pandemic unfold globally and onto our own shores, we have all prepared for this news. We realize, however, that nothing truly prepares one for the reality that now reaches our hometown. As a community, we share this grief together. Please comfort one another today with the kindness that has always thrived in Suffield and pray especially for the family.
As confirmed cases of COVID-19 have made their way into our community, it has been our desire to apprise residents quickly. In our last Town update, we stated that “the Town will not report on each confirmed case going forward.” We felt the need to make this statement because we anticipate numbers to continue to climb at an accelerated pace. Additionally, it has been the Town’s policy to report only cases verified by the CTDPH in coordination with their regional representative, the North Central District Health Department (NCDHD). Given the number of cases throughout the State, that reporting process has slowed. With confirmations increasing and reporting slowed, coupled with the frustration of reconciling figures with external sources, we want to emphasize this important message to residents:
Specific numbers – while so very important to each individual they represent – are secondary to reporting the fact that the virus is highly contagious and widely disseminating in our town. Please continue to do what is needed to slow the rate at which people become exposed and ill.
We have added confirmed Suffield numbers as the first bullet point item within the Town Updates section on the Emergency Alert page. Residents can access these figures directly via the CTDPH website under TEST DATA. As of April 1, 2020, CTDPH reports Suffield with 14 confirmed cases.
Melissa M. Mack
First Selectwoman
John Spencer
Director, Emergency Management