COVID-19 cases mount in Albany County
ALBANY COUNTY — The county announced 29 confirmed cases of COVID-19 on Tuesday with three new hospitalizations.
At the same time, all 10 of the state’s regions were over the targeted 1 percent for rates of infection based on Monday’s test results. The Capital Region, of which Albany County is a part, had a positivity rate of 1.2 percent.
The statewide positivity rate was 1.81 percent, which includes the over-sampled zones with micro-clusters — those areas had a positivity rate of 2.63 percent.
“As our metrics demonstrate, New York State is not immune from the wave of COVID outbreaks currently sweeping across the nation and the increase in cases and hospitalizations over the past weeks must serve as a caution flag that unless we are vigilant and continue wearing masks, washing our hands and remaining socially distant, the viral spread will increase,” said Governor Andrew Cuomo in a statement, releasing the latest numbers.
He also noted that, across the country, COVID rates are spiking — 48 states and Washington, D.C. have seen cases increase over the last two weeks, and the metrics show New York State has also seen new outbreaks and increased spread in certain parts of the state.
Cuomo released these metrics from the last week:
— New York State’s statewide positivity has been the third lowest of any state in the nation, per Johns Hopkins University;
— New York State’s rate of new cases per 100,000 people has been the sixth lowest of any state in the nation;
— New York State’s current COVID hospitalizations per 100,000 people has been the seventh lowest of any state in the nation;
— New York State’s rate of new COVID fatalities per 100,000 people has been the third lowest of any state in the nation; and
— New York State has accounted for 10 percent of all of the nation’s COVID tests, and just 2.5 percent of the nation’s new COVID cases while representing 5.9 percent of the total United States population.
Newest numbers
As of Tuesday morning, Albany County has 3,674 confirmed cases of coronavirus disease 2019, according to a release from Albany County Executive Daniel McCoy’s office.
Of the 29 new cases, 15 had close contact with someone infected with the disease, three reported traveling out of state, six did not have a clear source of infection identified at this time, and five are health-care workers or residents of congregate settings.
Albany County now has 1,363 residents under quarantine, one more than on Monday. The five-day average for new daily positives increased to 30.4 from 28.4. There are now 175 active cases in the county, down from 177 on Monday.
So far, 16,648 people have completed quarantine. Of those, 3,499 had tested positive and recovered.
Twenty-five county residents are currently hospitalized with COVID-19; three of them are in intensive-care units. The county’s hospitalization rate has gone up to 0.68 percent from 0.63 percent.
Albany County’s COVId-19 death toll remains at 142.