GROWING CRISIS
Positive cases in Rensselaer County more than doubles in one day
RENSSELAER COUNTY, N.Y. » The total of positive COVID-19 cases in Rensselaer County is up to 15.
Rensselaer County Executive Steve McLaughlin, Rensselaer County Health Director Mary Fran Wachunas and New York State Assemblyman Jake Ashby held a press conference early Friday afternoon, confirming eight cases.
Later in the day, a press release announced an additional seven.
“We are up to eight positive in the county right now,” McLaughlin said at the earlier press conference. “As we said yesterday, there are a lot of tests that are being done and completed and now coming back.”
“Right now we’re also monitoring anywhere between 100 and 130 people,” Wachunas commented on the amount of people in either mandatory or precautionary quarantine.
“They may be connected to a positive case or they may be waiting for their test results,”
Wachunas continued.
“The Albany Memorial [Hospital] and Albany Medical Center has stopped community testing, which I think is a lot of our calls that are coming into the health department. There are only reserved test kits for the critically ill and health care workers at this point. That
doesn’t mean that if you’re at home and you’re feeling very sick that you can’t call your doctor,” Wachunas added on the steps people should take in light of the dwindling test kits.
Hence, with the dearth of testing kits, McLaughlin noted it doesn’t make sense to divert critical resources to establishing a testing site as of now in the county.
“The providers are ready, willing to do it. There are no tests. So, it just doesn’t make any sense to set up a tent, no reason to even staff it because we just don’t have the tests,” McLaughlin said.
Rensselaer County was the first in New York State to provide telemedicine to Medicaid patients, a service McLaughlin encouraged residents to take advantage of in reaching out to their health care providers.
“For the folks out there that have CDPHP [and MVP], they have now extended telemedicine to every one of their recipients. So, you certainly can and should use that service for sure. That’ll relieve a lot of stress on our emergency rooms and our doctors offices,” McLaughlin noted of the service.
Ashby noted they are pushing in the Assembly to launch the program with all providers. If you have a different health insurance carrier, McLaughlin advised that people should reach out to their respective provider and ask them if there is a way to access telemedicine.
McLaughlin and Ashby encouraged everyone to keep an open dialogue with their offices as needs rapidly change.
“For those that are out there over the age of 60, if you need a meal, reach out to us, reach out to our senior services, our aging department. We can get you on our meals on wheels delivery route,” McLaughlin said.
“Our office is going to be staying open. Our district office is going to be staying open. So, if you have questions, shoot us an email, feel free to call us, anything like that we’d be happy to work with you,” Ashby noted for folks with questions on the ever changing state budget process and guidelines from the state.
Ashby also emphasized that we all play an important role in getting through these tough times together.
“I want to reiterate everybody really is essential
in this process. We’re handling this as a team,” Ashby said.
“Everybody needs to consider their own responsibilities to their families, to their friends, to their loved ones at home and do everything that they need to do to take care of each other,” Ashby added.
The two new cases initially announced Friday morning, include a 64-yearold man from East Greenbush and a 61-year-old man from Schodack.
The seven subsequently announced early Friday evening included two in North Greenbush — a 58-year-old female and a 29-year- old female; two in Poestenkill — a 63-year- old male and 60-year- old female; two in Troy — a 58-year-old female and 47-year-old female; and a 94-year- old male in East Greenbush.
On Tuesday afternoon,
Rensselaer County Executive Steve McLaughlin announced the county’s first positive case, a 35-year- old man from Troy, who works at the Troy Prep School.
Of f icials announced Wednesday that the county had more confirmed cases. They said a 25-year- old woman from Troy, a student at Albany Medical College, along with a 70-year- old from East Greenbush and a 26-year- old and 30-yearold from Brunswick have all
tested positive.
Wachunas said the two individuals from Brunswick traveled to Miami on March 4 and returned March 10 and that they began feeling symptoms on March 9.
On Thursday, the health department confirmed a 72-year- old woman from Hoosick Falls tested positive.
County officials note they are likely to hold another update Saturday on the fluid and evolving situation.