The CDC (Centers for Disease Control) updated its map yesterday. This week, for the third week, Columbia County is in the high risk category, along with much of the state.
As of Thursday, per the CDC, Columbia County’s rate of new COVID-19 cases remains in the high risk category.
Also as of Thursday, the CDC-reported current average of new daily cases per 100,000 of population stood at 45.9.
The positive test rate is 16.2 percent.
The number of positive cases in Columbia County rose once again this week, hitting a seven-day total that exceeds the positives for the entire month of March, Columbia County Department of Health Director Jack Mabb reported today. The week ending today saw 230 positive cases, with March totaling just 208. May’s total cases through 20 days is 690, exceeding the county’s second highest month, February, in which there were 533 cases.
“There’s no doubt that Covid is rumbling through our community but our nurses are also hearing from people they call who are positive that they tested, in part, because of the rising numbers of positives here and across the country,” said Director Mabb. “So people who may have thought the sniffles or sore throat they had were allergies for a couple of months are quicker to test for Covid. This ‘heightened awareness’ is having an upward effect on our numbers.”
The good news, said Director Mabb, is that while hospitalizations remain relatively high at 18 individuals, there is but one individual in the ICU today.
Director Mabb also reports that interest in the fourth booster remains high, with 62 people getting boosted at the department’s POD at Columbia-Greene Community College on Thursday.
Although New York State has lifted the mandate for mask wearing while inside a business, local health care officials continue to encourage the wearing of masks while indoors, particularly for those with health problems.
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