Ulster cases hold steady; 3 more die

KINGSTON, N.Y. » Ulster County on Wednesday reported little change in its number of active COVID-19 cases but three additional deaths related to the illness.

The deaths brought Ulster’s total to 168 since the local outbreak began last March. Six COVID-related deaths have been reported by the county over the past five days.

Ulster County’s online dashboard of COVID data reported 53 new cases of the illness among the most recent 1,049 people tested, a rate of 5.3%. That rate is the lowest since 4.6% on Dec. 26 and far below the winter high of 13.6% on Dec. 29.

The number of active cases in Ulster County was 1,942 as of Tuesday, up just two from the previous day because the number of

new recoveries was roughly equal to the number of new diagnoses.

Since last March, Ulster County has had 7,663 confirmed cases of COVID and 5,553 recoveries.

Also Wednesday, the state reduced the reported number of COVID-related deaths at the Golden Hill Nursing and Rehabilitation Center in Kingston from 13 to 12. There was no immediate explanation for the change.

Dutchess County’s COVID dashboard on Wednesday showed 240 new diagnoses for COVID but also 300 new recoveries.

Dutchess reported 2,289 actives cases of the illness as of Sunday, down from 2,289 the previous day.

The county also reported two more deaths, bringing its pandemic total to 277, and two more hospitalizations, for a total of 164.

Dutchess is nearing 15,000 confirmed cases of COVID over the 10-month span of the local outbreak. Its dashboard of Wednesday showed 14,997 confirmed cases since testing began, as well as 12,431 recoveries.

In the schools

• The Kingston school district was notified by the Ulster County Department of Health on Tuesday that two high school students, a Chambers Elementary School teacher and a staff member at Edson Elementary School tested positive.

• The Saugerties district announced positive cases in two students each at the junior and senior high schools.

• Onteora, which announced Wednesday that it will continue remote learning through Feb. 1, reported two high school students tested positive.

• The Highland district reported two high school students tested positive.

• The Wallkill district was notified of one positive student case at the high school and one at Plattekill Elementary School.

• There were also notifications of positive cases involving a New Paltz high school student, a Pine Plains junior/senior high student, and a Rondout Valley Intermediate student.