Hartford — The first case of the coronavirus in the Hartford area has been identified, officials said Saturday, as the number of cases across Connecticut rose to at least 20.

The patient, a woman in her 80s, lives in Rocky Hill and was being treated at Hartford Hospital, city and hospital officials said.

Additionally, The Hartford Courant reported the nursing chief of Yale New Haven Health and two hospital patients tested positive, citing a memo distributed within the health network Saturday.

Gov. Ned Lamont on Saturday signed an executive order intended to promote social distancing and help the health care industry obtain medical equipment and other supplies. It relaxes in-person open meeting requirements to minimize large gatherings, though with safeguards in place to ensure public access and transparency, and allows pharmacists to mix and sell hand sanitizer, among other measures.

"The virus is spreading and it is here in Connecticut," he said. "Our state has taken critical measures to maximize public health and those steps will continue."

Most of cases of COVID-19 in the state have been in communities near the New York state line. Fairfield County had at least 15 known cases as of Saturday evening, while Hartford County had the one, Litchfield County had three and New Haven County had one.

Efforts to test for the virus around the state are expanding. Hartford Mayor Luke Bronin said he assumes there are other cases of the virus in the Hartford area.

For most people, the virus causes only mild or moderate symptoms, such as fever and cough. For some, especially older adults and people with existing health problems, COVID-19, the illness caused by the virus, can cause more severe illness, including pneumonia, or death. The vast majority of people recover.

School districts, including in Hartford, New Haven and Stamford, have announced they will close for two weeks or longer in an attempt to slow the spread of the disease.

The two giant casinos operated by Native American tribes remained open but canceled or scaled back several events. The bingo hall was closed beginning Saturday at Foxwoods Resort Casino. At the nearby Mohegan Sun casino, comedy shows and card playing tournaments were among the postponed events.

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