Cases on the rise in Capital Region
ALBANY, N.Y. » Capital Region counties are beginning to see even more of a rise in daily COVID-19 cases, coinciding with travel and gathering from the Thanksgiving holiday weekend. Albany County saw its daily caseload hit 211 or the highest in a 24-hour period since Jan. 28.
However, Albany and surrounding Capital Region counties have yet to institute any vaccine or mask mandates unlike New York City, which has a seven-day average percent positivity rate of a mere 1.9%.
The Capital Region has a 7.9% positivity rate. Albany County’s percent positivity rate is 6.2%. Saratoga County’s percent positivity rate is 8.6%. Rensselaer County’s percent positivity rate is 7.0%.
Albany County Executive Daniel McCoy confirmed nine new hospitalizations on Monday. There are a total of 61 county residents presently hospitalized with the virus and eight patients in the ICU. McCoy also announced the COVID-19 linked death of a man in his 70’s. The death marks 446 since pandemic data began being tracked in March 2020.
Albany County has 588 active cases, 905 people under mandatory quarantine, and conversely had 184 people released from quarantine.
Saratoga County also had another death, bringing its total to 225 since March 2020. Saratoga County has 52 people hospitalized with the virus, 38 of whom are not fully vaccinated. Additionally, Saratoga County has 995 active cases 518 of which were not fully vaccinated.
As of Tuesday, Rensselaer County had 125 new cases. There were 25 county residents hospitalized, 57% of whom were not fully vaccinated, and seven patients in the ICU, 71% of whom were not fully vaccinated. Rensselaer County has 965 active cases, 369 people under quarantine, and conversely had 124 people released from quarantine.
On the vaccination front, 75.5% of all Albany County residents have received at least the first dose of the vaccine, and 67.7% are deemed fully vaccinated. The first dose vaccination rate for the county’s 18+ population is 84.8%.
In Saratoga County, 80.8% of the total population has one dose of the vaccine, 89.8% of the 12+ population has at least one dose, 90.7% of the 18+ population has one dose and the total population considered fully vaccinated is at 72.4%. For boosters, as of Nov. 29, 25.4% of fully vaccinated people 18+ in Saratoga County have received a booster dose, 48.5% of fully vaccinated people 50+ have received a booster dose, and 57.3% of fully vaccinated
65+ people have received a booster dose.
In Rensselaer County, 80.3% of the 12+ population has one dose and 74.1% are considered fully vaccinated. Plus, 81.5% of the 18+ population has one dose and 75.2% are deemed fully vaccinated.
McCoy commented on the ballooning cases and urged people to get vaccinated.
“We are likely just now starting to feel the impacts of Thanksgiving celebrations on our infection rate with the latest surge of new COVID cases, on top of the surge that we were already dealing with before the holiday. Today marks the most COVID cases identified in a 24-hour period since January 28, and the most residents hospitalized at one time since February 20. Those in the hospital include two people under the age of 25 years old,” McCoy stated.
“The majority of those hospitalized with the virus are unvaccinated, and we can’t allow more hospitals to get overwhelmed like we’ve already seen in the region. We need everyone to do their part in protecting themselves, their loved ones, and our community. Vaccines and boosters are widely available at a number of locations, including at the clinics that Albany County is hosting with local schools. Please get the shot, wear masks indoors and at any large outdoor gatherings — regardless of vaccination status — get tested, and stay home if you’re experiencing any flu-like symptoms,” McCoy added.