Main Street in Manchester on Thursday July 16, 2020. Photo by Glenn Russell / VTDiggerA growing Covid-19 outbreak in southern Vermont has increased to 59 people, according to test results from Manchester Medical Center. The cases have affected people mainly in Londonderry and Manchester, city manager John O'Keefe said. But apparently conflicting reports between the city and state officials about the increase in cases have sparked confusion among residents and a backlash against the state on social media. At a press conference Thursday afternoon, Health Commissioner Mark Levine said his department had confirmed only two of those positive cases and that he did not have enough information to label the incident as an "outbreak." But "we take this very seriously," he said, urging those living in the Manchester area to wear masks and maintain social distance. "We need to allow the data and information to come out." Controversy has arisen around different Covid tests. Manchester Medical Center, a small health clinic at Manchester Center, has been using antigen tests, a new Covid test that offers quick results. Meanwhile, the Department of Health has not publicly reported those positive tests without confirmation of positive diagnostic tests called PCRs or polymerase chain reaction tests. That led to uncertainty, conflicting theories and "a lot of information flying out," said Representative Kelly Pajala, I-South Londonderry. "There definitely seems to be a lot of panic in the community." The antigen test was first approved by the Federal Drug Administration in May. The test requires a nasal swab test, but can be analyzed in minutes by identifying fragments of the coronavirus proteins in the sample. Tests that test positive are usually accurate, but antigen tests have a high false-negative rate, which means that a person with a negative result actually has the virus. According to Levine, the tests are ideal for detecting people who have symptoms of Covid-19, but not to determine with certainty if they have the virus. The Health Department requires a follow-up PCR test before publishing the test results on its website. Until then, the state considers a positive antigen test to be "presumptively positive." State officials still treat the alleged case as if it was confirmed, contacting the affected person to tell him to stay home and self-quarantine. The department also tracks contacts, Levine said. Antigen tests are one of three Covid tests available to Vermonters. The state is focused on providing nasal swab PCR tests, which detect active infection. Some clinics and hospitals also offer antibody tests, which measure whether a person has already recovered from Covid. VTDigger is subscribed by:Manchester Medical Center is one of the first to offer the tests, but it is not the only facility that does so. In Burlington, Russ Scully has offered antigen testing weekly to employees of his "Hula" technology campus. Scully hires Garnet Transportation Medicine, an ambulance company she helped fund, to do the tests. About 30 of its 50 employees undergo testing each week, she said. Levine has not accepted the widely used tests and encouraged everyone in Manchester to have a confirmatory PCR test. Of the 59 positive antigen tests in the Manchester outbreak, the state had received PCR results from only seven. Five of those who tested negative; Two were positive. It's unclear whether those who have a positive antigen test and a negative PCR are infected with Covid, according to Levine. The results of the PCR test could be affected by the time between the test and whether a person has Covid symptoms, he said. "It is really difficult right now to understand the best way to deal with these discordant results because they are really breaking new ground." City officials said the state's silence on the new cases prompted them to communicate the information they had. One of the owners of the Manchester Medical Center, Dr. Thomas Sterling, is also the city's health officer. On Monday, O'Keefe, the city manager, posted on Facebook that 35 people in Manchester and Londonderry had tested positive for the virus with antigen testing. O'Keefe said he would prefer to alert people to a possible outbreak too soon and be wrong rather than wait for confirmation and allow the virus to spread uncontrollably. "If we have life-saving or life-changing information and you don't share it with the public, that's not ethical for me," he said in an interview. In response to the news, the companies closed voluntarily, including several Northshire restaurants and books, O'Keefe said. People stayed home, possibly avoiding further spread. "I think people are doing the right thing," he said. Meanwhile, Manchester Medical Center went on the offensive on Facebook, defending its use of antigen tests and criticizing the Health Department's reporting system. "It's time for Vermont to step it up!" The medical center posted on Facebook. They also attacked the nearby Southwestern Vermont Medical Center after it issued a statement on antigen testing and PCR, calling the information "confusing and poorly delivered." The medical center owners did not respond to multiple requests for comment. The posts have sparked conspiracy theories, confusion and widespread mistrust of the state's efforts to combat Covid-19, said state representative Laura Sibilia, I-Dover. Some respondents posted on social media about the "deep state" and accused the department of "undermining [MCC’s] positive results." "It is regrettable that MMC has made intentional efforts to spread mistrust in our state testing system on social media," Sibilia said. She praised Vermont's response to the pandemic and urged residents to "work together and not engage in ... divisive behavior." O'Keefe said local, non-state officials should take the initiative when they have the ability to do so, but praised the work of Levine and his department. "People should have the utmost confidence in the Department of Health," he said. VTDigger is subscribed by:Since Monday, the Health Department and Southwestern Medical Center have opened test sites offering PCR testing in Londonderry and on an ice rink in Manchester. Hundreds of tests have been conducted, and the tests will be available for as long as the public needs it. The state has begun tracing contacts, which will help determine the source of the outbreak. Levine said he expects more positive cases in the coming days. The high number of positive results "is definitely not a false alarm," he said. "There will be positive cases." Ellie French contributed reporting. Manchester Health Clinic Reports 59 Cases of Covid in Growing Outbreak Don't miss a thing. Sign up here to receive the weekly email from VTDigger about Vermont hospitals, healthcare trends, insurance, and state healthcare policy. VTDigger plays a vital role in delivering news that changes the terms of many debates. Digging reporters engage us, enlighten us, and offer "real insights" on the day's issues. Creates Lintilhac, member of the VJT board
 100vw, 610px “/></noscript><img data-attachment-id=)
