Combined active cases in 3 local rural counties top 500 for the first time

The three local rural counties – Genesee, Orleans and Wyoming – combined have passed 500 active cases of Covid-19 for the first time.

The three counties combined had a record high of 497 on Thursday. That total increased by 30 to 527 on Friday.

All three counties are near record highs in the pandemic for active cases. Genesee is now at 254, with Orleans at 151 and Wyoming at 122. (The record highs for active cases in each are 269 in Genesee on Dec. 7, 159 in Orleans on Dec. 17, and 123 in Wyoming on Dec. 10.)

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. 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.

Public health officials and leaders of the County Legislatures in Orleans and Genesee have pleaded with residents to take precautions against spreading Covid.

They are urging people to wear masks, adhere to social distancing and limit social gatherings. State officials say 74 percent of the recent Covid spread is from private social gatherings and households.

To see more data on Covid cases in the three local counties, click here.