MONTPELIER, Vt. (AP) — More Vermont locations are being prepared to treat COVID-19 patients if the state’s hospitals become overwhelmed during the expected peak of infections, Gov. Phil Scott said Thursday.

The Vermont National Guard is preparing and will provide most staff for a 400-bed location at the Champlain Valley Fairgrounds in Essex Junction. Another 150-bed site will be set up in Rutland Country, which will be run primarily by the Rutland Regional Medical Center.

Those locations are in addition to three locations already set up in Barre, St. Albans and at the University of Vermont in Burlington.

“While we hope we will not need this extra capacity, our modeling indicates we must be prepared for a significant surge in medical care to treat COVID-19 patients,” Scott said in a statement. "'We are taking these steps to ensure we are as prepared as possible for what could come.”

Here are the latest coronavirus developments in Vermont:

NUMBERS

As of Thursday, Vermont had reported almost 340 positive cases of COVID-19 and 17 deaths. Almost 30 patients were being treated in the state's hospitals. More than 40 additional patients are hospitalized and likely have the virus.

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PRISON

A staff member at the Northwest State Correctional Facility in Swanton has tested positive for the coronavirus, the Vermont Department of Corrections said.

In a release sent late Wednesday, the department said the employee had “limited interactions” with the inmate population, but the worker, who was last in the facility March 25, had no such interaction in the 48 hours before showing symptoms.

No Vermont prison inmates at the Swanton facility or elsewhere have tested positive for COVID-19.

“My concern remains with the health and safety of our staff and the people in our care,” said interim Corrections Commissioner Jim Baker. “We are taking every effort to limit exposure.”

With guidance from the Health Department, officials did a deep cleaning of the area where the staffer worked and increased messaging to staff and inmates about the importance of personal hygiene, including hand washing.

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SKI AREAS

Two Vermont ski areas closed by the coronavirus outbreak so they are no longer going to allow skiers to climb the slopes on their own without ski lifts and ski down on their own.

Matt Lillard, of the Mad River Glen ski resort, and Win Smith of Sugarbush say that as of dusk Thursday, “uphill travel” will no longer be allowed at either resort for the remainder of the season.

Last weekend both resorts saw a large volume of skiers climbing the slopes.

“Though most were practicing social distancing we unfortunately understand that some may not have been following the proper guidelines,” they said in a statement.

Given favorable weather reports for this weekend they expected even larger crowds so they decided to end the practice.