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WITH THE MESSAGE FROM THE GOVERNOR.. FOLLOWING TODAY'S TRAGIC LOSSES. (áááLIVEááá) COVID-19'S IMAPCT ON OUR REGION ESCALATING TONIGHT... AS STATE OFFICIALS CONFIRM TWO VERMONTERS WHO CONTRACTED THE VIRUS HAVE DIED. <DR. MARK LEVINE, VERMONT HEALTH COMMISSIONER "WHEN COVID-19 FIRST APPREAREDIN VERMONT, WE SINCEARLY HOPED OUR COMMUNITIES WOULD BE SPARED SUCH LOSSES."> JUST TWELVE DAYS AFTER THE FIRST POSITIVE CASE OF CORONAVIRUS WAS IDENTIFIED IN VERMONT... GOVERNOR PHIL SCOTT - CONFIRMING TWO PATIENTS HAVE DIED. <GOV. PHIL SCOTT "I KNOW VERMONTERS ACROSS THE STATE JOIN US IN SENDING THEIR DEEPEST SYMPATHY."> HEALTH OFFICIALS SAY THE VICTIMS WERE A WINDSOR COUNTY MAN... BEING TREATED AT THE V-A MEDICAL CENTER IN WHITE RIVER JUNCTION. THE OTHER - A WOMAN AT THE BURLINGTON HEALTH AND REHAB LONGTERM CARE FACILITY. <GOV. PHIL SCOTT "THEY WERE ELDERLY VERMONTERS. WHICH IS AN IMPORTANT REMINDER THAT THE VIRUS IS MOST DANGEROUS TO SENIORS."> THE V-A MEDICAL CENTER - RELEASING A STATEMENT READING IN PART... "It is with the heaviest of hearts that we give a final salute to one of our nation's finest." THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT - NOW WORKING TO IDENTIFY OTHERS WHO COULD BE AT RISK FOR INFECTION AT THE BURLINGTON NURSING HOME. <DR. MARK LEVINE, HEALTH COMMISSIONER "OUR EPIDEMIOLOGY TEAM IS ACTUALLY ON SITE EXAMINING WHO MIGHT HAVE BEEN EXPOSED, WHO SHOULD BE TESTED."> GOVENOR SCOTT - URGING THE PUBLIC TO TAKE SOCIAL DISTANCING SERIOUSLY... TO PROTECT THOSE WHO ARE MOST AT RISK. <GOV. PHIL SCOTT "WE'RE ALL IN THIS TOGETHER AND IN TIMES LIKE THIS VERMOTNERS RISE TO THE OCCASION. WE HELP OUR NEIGHBORS, WE ANSWE THE CALL OF DUTY, AND WE GET CREATIVE TO SOLVE THE CHALLENGES AHEAD."> (áááLIVEááá) THEY WEREN'T ABLE TO PROVIDE MUCH INFORMATION, LIKE WHETHER OR NOT THEY HAD PRE- EXISTING CONDITIONS... BUT SAY MORE DETAILS WILL BE SHARED AT A PRESS CONFERENCE TOMORROW. LIVE IN BURLINGTON, ROSS KETSCHKE NBC5

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Vermont Gov. Phil Scott on Thursday announced the state's first two coronavirus-related deaths. According to state health officials, a man from Windsor County and a woman from Chittenden County died after testing positive for COVID-19, the disease caused by the new coronavirus. Health Commissioner Mark Levine said it's not currently known what the cause of death for each person was, nor if they had pre-existing conditions. He said that both were older individuals who likely received the virus through community transmission. "This new coronavirus can be very serious, especially for vulnerable Vermonters," Levine said. "These deaths, and I hope we will experience no more, highlight how extremely important it is for all of us to take extra care to protect those who are most vulnerable to serious illness."View the announcement belowAccording to a statement from the White River Junction VA Medical Center, the Windsor County patient was a veteran who was being treated at their facility. “Our deepest condolences go out to his family and friends during this difficult time," Medical Center Executive Director Brett Rusch said. “It is with the heaviest of hearts that we give a final salute to one of our nation’s finest.”The Chittenden County patient was previously being treated at the Burlington Health & Rehab Center. Concerns over the coronavirus have prompted large-scale action in Vermont — public schools have been ordered to transition to remote learning, the state's legislative session has been suspended and local businesses have been barred from serving dine-in customers. The state has reported issuing 667 tests for the virus thus far, 22 of which have come back positive. Amid a nationwide testing shortage, local health officials believe the number of people who have contracted the virus is likely much higher. Initiatives are currently being taken to increase the number of tests health officials are able to administer, including the installation of a pop-up testing tent outside of the University of Vermont Medical Center. Scott said the state will continue to prioritize testing for people considered to be "high-risk," including the elderly, those with weakened immune systems or pre-existing conditions. To prevent the spread of the disease, officials with the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have recommended additional, thorough hand washing and practicing social distancing measures to reduce the risk of contracting or unknowingly transmigrating the virus. 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.