A man in his fifties and a woman in her eighties were the latest to succumb to the virus. This brings Albany County’s COVID-19 death toll to 206.

ALBANY COUNTY — The news on COVID-19 continued to be grim on Dec. 26 as another county death from the disease was reported as well as 245 new cases.

The state is now focusing on hospital capacity rather than just COVID-19 infection rates, which were initially used to define micro-cluster zones. Of New York’s 10 regions, the Capital Region currently has the lowest percentage of hospital beds — 24 percent —  and intensive-care-unit beds — 18 percent — available.

We believe the state currently needs an advocate to lead the charge in keeping its sunshine laws relevant and the response for requests timely.

“Stay home to protect yourself. Stay home to protect your family. Stay home to protect the community,” said Albany County Health Commissioner Elizabeth Whalen on Christmas Eve. “Every single one of us has individual responsibility.”

As COVID-19 cases surge, regional hospitals, which are in daily contact, agreed on Monday to reduce non-urgent surgeries that require a hospital stay.

These local students were named to the dean’s list from Colgate University for the spring 2020 semester:

— Erica Friedman of Delmar, majoring in psychological science who graduated from Bethlehem Central High School with a grade point average of 3.6 and higher;

These local students were named to the dean’s list from their college or university for the fall 2020 semester:

— Koal Kornfield of Altamont, at Belmont University with a grade point average of 3.5 and higher;

— Alexis Anagnostopulos of Altamont, at Nazareth College with a grade point average of 3.5 nd higher;

On Tuesday, Governor Andrew Cuomo said that Wadsworth Laboratory in Albany is doing research to see if a new, highly-contagious strain of COVID-19, recently discovered in the United Kingdom, has already found its way here.