HARTFORD — About 200 employees of a health care system that includes seven hospitals in Connecticut and New York are staying home because they may have come into contact with the coronavirus, according to Connecticut Gov. Ned Lamont.

Lamont said the workers are with Nuvance Health, whose system includes Danbury Hospital, where the first Connecticut resident who tested positive for COVID-19 was treated.

The Democratic governor said Monday night the situation shows the need for a large increase in testing.

Nuvance Health said in a statement Tuesday that “the number of people furloughed is evolving as some early furloughs are now safely returning to work.” It said testing for those who meet testing criteria is continuing.

Lamont said on MSNBC that Danbury Hospital was at capacity, but Nuvance officials said that was not the case.

“We have capacity at Danbury Hospital to treat illness and injury including COVID-19," the Nuvance statement said.

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.

Hospitals across the state are restricting visitation, and some, including UConn Health in Farmington, have announced the indefinite postponement of elective surgeries.

UConn Health officials say visitors are being allowed only in special circumstances. That includes one visitor for those in labor and delivery. Parents and guardians of those in the neonatal intensive care unit will also be allowed to stay with those children.

Bridgeport Hospital, Greenwich Hospital, Lawrence and Memorial Hospital, and Yale-New Haven Hospital say one visitor at a time will be allowed for patients in intensive care and the pediatric, obstetric and psychiatric units.

The hospitals say exceptions are being made for end-of-life care and for the caregivers of those who have outpatient appointments.

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