Gov. Ned Lamont says the state is ready to help small businesses access loans after a federal supplemental package passed the Senate Tuesday night.

Officials say small businesses will be able to start applying for the new round of loans later this week.

Officials say there are 22,469 coronavirus cases in the state, with 2,109 new cases. They say there have been an additional 121 virus-related deaths.

Lamont says the trend in hospitalizations remains largely flat across Fairfield and New Haven counties, with 23 people newly hospitalized.

 

- There are 22,469 coronavirus cases in the state, with 2,109 new cases since yesterday. There also 121 new virus-related deaths, bringing the total to 1,544.

- There are 1,972 people hospitalized due to coronavirus, with 23 people admitted since yesterday.

- There have been 69,918 coronavirus tests performed, with an increase of 5,726 tests since yesterday.

- New London County is the county most likely to social distance, Gov. Ned Lamont says.

- He also says that News Haven County is the county most likely to wear a mask out in public, with 32% of people saying they would be willing to wear a mask.

- The state has given out 18,000 small business loans, and an average of $225,000 was given out per loan.

- In total the state has given out $4.2 billion in loans, but Lamont says 15,000 small businesses were unable to get access to the loans.

- Due to a new federal package, an additional $60 billion will possibly be made available for small businesses. The package still needs to pass.

- The state will be focusing on minority-owned businesses and farmers and other agriculture businesses for new loans.