Cases exceed 200 for 5th day

Albany County suffers three more COVID-19 deaths

Albany

While the county saw a slight reprieve from Thursday ’s record number of overnight COVID -19 cases, Friday ’s new positive cases lingered above 200 for the fifth day in a row — and brought with it three new deaths.

County Executive Dan Mccoy announced 210 new positive cases of COVID -19 Friday, down from Thursday ’s record 269 cases. This is the 10th time this month cases have exceeded 200. While there was a drop in overnight cases on Christmas Day, the five-day average for new daily positives increased from 219 to 229.

Of the new positive cases, 27 had close contact with other positive cases, one person had been traveling. There were 10 healthcare workers or residents of congregate settings in the latest count. Once again, the vast majority of positive cases — 172 — did not have a clear source of infection.

Three additional people died of the

virus overnight, Mccoy announced. Two were women, one in her 60s and the other in her 70s, and one was a man in his 90s. There are now 203 Albany County residents who have lost their lives to COVID -19.

“My heart breaks for the families who have lost loved ones to COVID -19, and it’s even more difficult when it happens during the holidays,” Mccoy said.

The county also reported 20 new hospitalizations overnight, with a total of 107 individuals currently hospitalized and 19 patients in the intensive care unit. While the number of hospitalizations is down from the past week’s high of 114, it brings with it a seven-day streak of more than 100 hospitalizations.

Dr. Elizabeth Whalen, Albany County ’s health commissioner, said in a press conference Thursday that among those hospitalized were people in their 20s. She again reminded people that it will be some time before the general public will have access to the COVID -19 vaccine.

With Thursday ’s record number of overnight cases, Whalen also reminded the public that officials were concerned about such a ripple of surges before Thanksgiving.

“We are seeing the exponential rise in cases that we were afraid of on Thanksgiving,” she said.

As more residents become infected with or die from COVID -19, Mccoy repeated his plea on Christmas for people to stay home and limit their gatherings during the holidays.

“Again, my message continues to be the same as we celebrate Christmas and Kwanzaa,” he said. “Please stay home and celebrate with members of your immediate families who live with you to stop the spread of this virus.”