3 rural counties combined hit new high for active Covid cases in pandemic

Genesee, Orleans and Wyoming have 718 residents currently Covid-positive

This graph is from the health departments in Genesee, Orleans and Wyoming counties. The graph for Genesee shows a high of 343 on Dec. 19, but health department officials say that should instead say 247.

The three rural counties of Genesee, Orleans and Wyoming combined have 718 active Covid-19 cases today, the most during the pandemic.

Orleans, with 279 active cases, leads the three counties. Genesee is at 238 and Wyoming is at 201.

A week ago on Dec. 31 the three counties were at 475 active cases with 202 in Orleans, 169 in Genesee and 104 in Wyoming.

An active case is someone who has tested positive but hasn’t been cleared from mandatory isolation. If people test positive for Covid, they must be in mandatory isolation for at least 10 days, the Genesee and Orleans County Health Departments said.

They are cleared after they have been fever free the last 3 days with symptom improvement. Sadly, if people die after contracting Covid, that also is no longer an active case.

The cases have continued a surge that started in November, increased in December and has continued in January.

Genesee’s current active caseload of 238 is actually down from the high of 269 on Dec. 7. But Orleans and Wyoming are both at record highs of active cases during the pandemic.

Orleans reached 200 active cases for the first time on Dec. 31 with 202. It was at 241 on Tuesday, then 232 on Wednesday before jumping up to 279 today.

Wyoming County has nearly doubled in active cases in the past week, going from 104 on Dec. 31 to 201 today. Wyoming was at 160 on Tuesday, 171 on Wednesday and then went over 200 for the first time today.