Full Notification

In a press release today, County Executive Daniel P. McCoy reported that the County had 256 new positive cases, the 30^th consecutive day in triple-digit numbers and tenth out of the past 11 days with new cases over 200.  The five-day average of new cases increased from 218.0 to 220.2.  The County’s pandemic total is now 11,448 cases.  Of the new cases, 35 persons had close contact with a positive case, 15 persons were healthcare workers or residents in a congregate setting, one person reported out-of-state travel, and 205 persons had no clear source of infection.  There are 1,647 current positive cases, an increase of 100 persons from yesterday.  There were 11 new hospitalizations yesterday, but the number of hospitalized persons decreased by nine to 120 patients.  There have been over 100 hospitalized COVID-19 patients for the past 15 days.  The number of persons in the ICU declined by one to 20 patients. 
 
There were five deaths reported overnight which raised the County’s cumulative death toll to 223.  The number of persons currently in quarantine decreased from 3,093 to 2,956.  So far, 37,383 people have completed quarantine, including 9,801 who had tested positive and recovered.  As of Wednesday, the County’s COVID-19 dashboard reported that, during the pandemic, there have been reported results for 336,657 tests of which 11,585 or 3.44% were positive.  
 
The County Executive added:
 
With these five additional deaths reported today, we’ve now lost 63 residents this month to COVID-19.  Compare that to the 55 deaths we saw in May, which was previously the most devastating month since the outbreak started.  And while our hospitalizations are slowing down, 42% of all hospitalizations these past nine months have happened in December.  Knowing that January will likely be even worse than December, I’m urging all of our residents to please avoid private gatherings with anyone not in your immediate family or household for New Year’s celebrations.  This will allow us to prevent more tragedies and go into 2021 with some positive momentum.
 
State DOH’s COVID-19 dashboard yesterday reported 216,587 statewide test results from yesterday which were 16,802 or 7.8% positive, with the seven-day average increasing to 6.8% and the 14-day average increasing to 6.1%.  The Capital Region’s reported results for 9,834 tests were 892 or 9.1% positive, with the seven-day average remaining at 9.1% and the 14-day average increasing to 8.3%.  Albany County’s reported results for 2,845 tests were 252 or 8.9% positive, with the seven-day average decreasing to 9.2% and the 14-day average increasing to 8.5%.
   
In a press release today, Governor Andrew Cuomo stated that yesterday’s reported test results had a positive rate of 7.76%, a decline from 8.66% yesterday.  The State’s remaining data included hospitalizations (7,935, +43), ICU patients (1,276, +26), ICU patients with intubation (723, +21), and 136 deaths.  The Governor added:
 
Over the past year, New Yorkers faced the unimaginable and united together to show the nation that by staying smart and staying tough, we can overcome any challenge life throws our way.  As we move forward in a new year, we can see the light at the end of the tunnel, but how fast we get there all depends on what each of us does.  Yes, the vaccine is here and yes, we are laser focused on ensuring hospitals do not become overwhelmed, but we cannot lose sight of our collective responsibility to slow the spread. As we begin 2021 and look forward to brighter days ahead, let us all use this time to celebrate smart and recommit ourselves to doing what we know works — wearing masks, avoiding gatherings and socially distancing — so we can win this war and finally put this invisible enemy to rest once and for all.

I am not a fan of year-end remembrances, particularly this year with so many lives lost and leaving no one not impacted by this devastating and ongoing pandemic.  I thank you for your words of support and appreciation for these daily updates which I hope will end soon.  But I cannot let this year end with expressing my sincere admiration for Town staff who have remained resilient, worked hard over the past ten months, and often found innovative ways for providing essential services under very difficult circumstances. 

I hope you have an enjoyable and relaxing New Year’s Eve.

Thank you for staying safe and calm.

Peter G. Barber
Town Supervisor