Deaths continue to rise in Ulster and Dutchess

KINGSTON, N.Y. » COVID-19 related fatalities continued to be reported Friday in Ulster and Dutchess counties, according to postings on online coronavirus dashboards.

Ulster reported that it had one new death, bringing the total to 344 since the pandemic began in March 2020. Dutchess said it had two new ones, bringing the total to 581.

But Dutchess reported a plunge in COVID-19 active cases by more than 300.

Ulster said on Friday that its death toll had risen to 344 or one more than the 343 fatalities reported a day earlier. Ulster also said it had that it had 7,150, down from the 7,465 cases reported on Jan. 20 and down from an alltime high of 7,569 reported for Jan. 15.

Ulster County said it has had 33,887 confirmed cases since the pandemic began in March 2020. It has had 26,393 recoveries, according to the dashboard.

There are 38 people with the disease in Ulster County hospital as of Wednesday, Jan. 19, two fewer than what was reported the previous day by the state Department of Health.

On Friday, Dutchess County reported 2,105 active cases for Jan. 19, down 313 from the 2,418 active cases reported for Jan. 18 and far down from the 8,510 all-time high reported on Jan. 8.

Dutchess County said it has had 59,146 confirmed cases of COVID-19 since the pandemic began.

There are 141 people with the disease in Dutchess County hospitals as of Wednesday, Jan. 19, four fewer than the day before.

Testing

A second state-run COVID-19 testing site in Ulster County opened Thursday at SUNY Ulster at 491 Cottekill Road in Stone Ridge. The site will be open to

the public from Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m.

The New Paltz Community Testing Site at the College Terrace Building is open from Monday to Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. For information, visit VaccinateUlster.com.

Dutchess County Executive Marc Molinaro announced Thursday the county has received additional at-home COVID-19 test kits and will be distributing approximately 10,000 kits next week to residents, free of charge, at mass-distribution sites in northern, eastern and central Dutchess County.

Among the sites are:

• The former JCPenney site (Poughkeepsie Galleria), lower level 2001 South Road, on Sunday, Jan. 23, from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m.

• Dutchess County Fairgrounds, 6626 Route 9, Rhinebeck, on Friday, Jan. 28, from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m.

Assemblyman Chris Tague, R-Schoharie, and Sen. Michelle Hinchey, DSaugerties, said in an announcement they delivered a total of 1,000 COVID-19 rapid antigen testing kits and KN95 masks to Community Action of Greene County and the Hunter Foundation on Thursday, Jan. 20.

The pandemic-related supplies secured by the legislators will be distributed to local businesses and community members seeking community action services, including individuals coming to access the food pantry, housing assistance, domestic violence services and the Pay

It Forward Thrift Store. •••

Here are the other latest local COVID-19 statistics:

Hospitalizations

Data as of Thursday, Jan. 20, from the state Department of Health.

• Ellenville Regional Hospital, 5.

• HealthAlliance Hospitals in Kingston, 33.

• Northern Dutchess Hospital in Rhinebeck, 21.

• Vassar Brothers Medical Center in Poughkeepsie, 70.

• Mid-Hudson Regional Hospital in Poughkeepsie,

50.

Vaccination rates

Data as of Thursday, Jan. 20 from New York state’s online vaccine tracker.

• Ulster County: 72.4% fully vaccinated, 79.9% with at least one dose of a twodose regimen, 88.2% of 18+ population with at least one dose.

• Dutchess County: 67% fully vaccinated, 75.2% with at least one dose of a twodose regimen, 84% of 18+ population with at least one dose.

• Appointments: vaccinateulster.com, bit.ly/dut-vax, bit.ly/ny-vaxme.

In the schools

Here are the latest reports of COVID cases in area school districts.

• Kingston: One staff at Chambers Elementary School; one student, one staff at George Washing Elementary School; two teachers, one staff at Harry L. Edson Elementary School; six students, two teachers, and one staff at the high school; and two teachers, one staff at M. Clifford Miller Middle School.

• Highland: Two students, one staff at the elementary school; five students at the high school; and two students, one teacher at Highland Middle School.

• Onteora: Three students at the high school; two students, one teacher at the middle school; and one student at Reginald Bennett Elementary School.

• Rondout Valley: One student at Marbletown Elementary School; three students at Rondout Valley Intermediate School; and one student at the junior high school.

• Ellenville: One student at the elementary school and five students, one staff at the high school.

• Pine Plains: Seven students, two teachers at Cold Spring Early Learning Center and five students at the junior/senior high school.

• Red Hook: Two students, one staff Linden Avenue Middle School; two students at Mill Road Intermediate School; one student, one teacher at Mill Road Primary School; and one student at the high school.

• Mount Academy: Two students.

• High Meadow: One teacher.

Ulster County said it has had 33,887 confirmed cases since the pandemic began in March 2020. Dutchess County said it has had 59,146 confirmed cases of COVID-19 since the pandemic began.