Ulster County ‘in a very good place’
Latest 538 tests reveal just 1 COVID case; popular fall attractions in state can operate
KINGSTON, N.Y. » Only one Ulster County resident tested positive for COVID-19 out of 538 tested in the most recent 24-hour period, County Executive Pat
Ryan said Tuesday.
Speaking during a Facebook Live event, Ryan said the rate of infection is “the most important metric in determining how we’re doing” and that Ulster County continues to be “in a very good place and a pretty stable place at this point.”
One positive result out of 538 tests is a rate of less than 0.2%, and Ryan said the most recent 72-hour period yielded only 12 positives out of 2,213 tests, a rate of just over 0.5%.
Ulster County’s rate of positive test results has been generally below 1% for the past month. “Fortunately we are holding steady,” Ryan said.
At the local peak of the COVID outbreak, in April, the county’s rate of positive tests was 33%, and there were 1,009 active cases of COVID. The current active case number is 112.
The number of deaths from COVID-19 in Ulster County stood at 94 Tuesday, where it has been for more
than a week. But hospitalizations increased by one, with a second resident placed in intensive care, Ryan said.
The executive said one of the two is on a ventilator and is “hanging on and fighting.”
Since the onset of the pandemic in March, there have been 2,185 confirmed cases of COVID in Ulster County and 1,979 recoveries.
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In another COVID-related matter, New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced Tuesday that agri-tourism businesses — such as pick-your-own operations and sites that offer corn mazes, hayrides and haunted houses in the fall — are considered lowrisk
outdoor arts and entertainment and are now permitted to operate in the state, though with several COVID restrictions. Capacity must be reduced, participants must wear face coverings, and social distancing must be maintained. Additionally, frequently touched surfaces, such as handrails, must be cleaned and sanitized between hayrides.
Petting zoos are not permitted.
Michael Jubie, co-owner of the popular Headless Horseman Hayrides and Haunted Houses in Ulster Park, said the business is “scrambling,” in close collaboration with Ryan’s office, to open its haunted house and corn maze, which he assumed would have to stay closed because of the pandemic.
Jubie said he normally hires 375 workers for the fall season and will be hiring additional
staff in light of the new guidelines.
“We do have to hire people to put it together and open at the level we’re used to. … We don’t want to go below our standard of professionalism. We’re racing the clock,” Jubie said.
On its website, the Barn of Terror in Lake Katrine said its corn maze, root cellar and cemetery will open this season.
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SUNY New Paltz reported no new cases of COVID among students on Tuesday. The college reported its first case last week and two more on Monday. One of the affected students, though, is listed as “recovered.”
The college said Monday that two recent pickup basketball games in which one of the infected students played has led to a dozen students being placed in quarantine.
In announcing the initial case of COVID last week, SUNY New Paltz said all students would be tested for the illness starting this week.
SUNY New Paltz’s fall 2020 semester began last Monday, Aug. 24 — marking the first time classes were taught on campus since March, when the SUNY system switched to allonline learning due to the growing pandemic. Still, only about 25% of New Paltz’s classes are being taught in person as of now.
By the numbers
Dutchess County, which last updated its online COVID data Sunday, reports having had 4,865 confirmed cases of COVID since the pandemic began, or which 252 are active. Dutchess has had 4,460 recoveries from COVID and 153 deaths.