2 more deaths reported in Genesee County from Covid

There are 50 new confirmed cases of Covid-19 to report today in Genesee and Orleans counties, the G-O County health Departments said this afternoon.

In Orleans County there are 30 new positive cases for a total of 2,219 confirmed cases since last March.

The positive cases reside in the West Region (Yates, Ridgeway, Shelby), Central Region (Carlton, Gaines, Albion, Barre) and East Region (Kendall, Murray, Clarendon). The individuals are in the age groups of 0-19, 20s, 30s, 40s, 50s, 60s, 70s, 80s and 90s.

Of the new cases 4 were on quarantine prior to testing positive, the Health Departments said.

Orleans also is reporting 10 of the previous positive individuals have recovered and been removed from the isolation list.

There are four county residents currently hospitalized due to Covid-19.

The new confirmed cases include 7 residents at Orchard Rehabilitation & Nursing Center in Medina, one at  the Villages of Orleans Health & Rehab in Albion, and one is an inmate at the Albion Correctional Facility, a women’s prison.

Albion Central School is reporting that two students from the high school have tested positive for Covid-19.

One of the students is a fully remote learner so the Department of Health determined there is no need to quarantine any additional students or staff.

The second student is a hybrid learner and was last in the building on Jan. 22. Due to the 48-hour look-back period, the Department of Health determined there is no need to quarantine any additional students or staff, the district state don its website.

In Genesee County there are 20 new confirmed cases of Covid-19 for a total of 3,896 positive cases since last March.

The new positive cases reside in the Central Region (Alexander, Batavia, Bethany, Elba, Oakfield) and East Region (Bergen, Byron, LeRoy, Pavilion, Stafford).

The individuals are in the age groups of 0-19, 20s, 30s, 40s, 50s, 60s and 70s.

Genesee is reporting 21 of the previous positive individuals have recovered and been removed from the isolation list.

There are 22 Genesee residents currently hospitalized due to Covid.

There are also two more deaths from Covid-19 in Genesee for 109 total during the pandemic. The two deaths reported today include a community member over age 65 and a resident of the Batavia VA Medical Center who was over the age of 65.

Rapid Test Results: Genesee County conducted a drive-through rapid test clinic on Tuesday. Out of the 290 tested, 14 were positive for Covid.

Orleans receives 500 vaccine doses this week, but needs many more to meet demand

Orleans County has 500 Covid-19 vaccine doses this week, with the doses split up among the Health Department, Orleans Community Health, and some local pharmacies and healthcare providers.

The county is projected to get a 16 percent increase next week in the vaccine, Public Health Director Paul Pettit said, but the amount is still far short to meet the expanded eligibility groups. (Gov. Andrew Cuomo on Tuesday said the 1B vaccine prioritization group eligibility could be expanded to restaurant workers, taxi drivers, and developmentally disabled facilities.)

“The supply is still nowhere near the amount we need for all of the eligible groups,” Pettit said on Tuesday evening in a conference call with local government officials.

The local vaccines are currently are being administered through pharmacies (people 65 and older); Orleans Community Health/Medina Memorial Hospital doing healthcare workers, people in the 1A group and some residents 65 and older; and the Health Department, which is targeting essential workers.

Gov. Cuomo on Tuesday said he received assurances from the federal government the supply to the state would be increased by 20 percent the next three weeks.

“That is a good sign with more vaccine starting to flow,” Pettit said.

The Health Department will have a vaccine clinic on Thursday at the Ridgeway Fire Hall from 1 to 4 p.m. Those slots are currently filled. Pettit sympathized with residents who keep checking for vaccine appointments but they tend to be full.

“It’s very challenging,” Pettit said. “Once they are posted, they’re immediately gone.”

The public health director said it could take several months to have work through all the eligible groups, which will continue to expand.

“This will be a prolonged event over the next three, four, five, six months,” Pettit said.

The county will need many volunteers for the vaccine clinics, which will likely be expanded to other days in the week once there is more vaccine.

Justin Niederhofer, deputy director of the Orleans County Emergency Management Agency, is coordinating the personnel for the clinics.

“We are looking for more volunteers,” he said. “We’re going to be in that for the long haul.”

Emergency Management can be reached at (585) 589-4414.

Cuomo in an update on Tuesday said about 1.7 million vaccine doses have been administered so far in the state – 1,414,241 first doses and 321,204 second doses. That state has about 19 million residents.

“We’re in a footrace to vaccinate the entire eligible population while continuing to keep the infection rate low,” Cuomo said. “We’re moving heaven and earth to administer as many doses as possible, but on a global level we are experiencing high demand and scarce amounts of the vaccine. We have much more distribution in place than we have supply, and as soon as we have more doses from the federal government we can get those shots in the arms of New Yorkers as quickly and fairly, while continuing to make sure the communities hardest hit have access to and trust in the vaccine.”

Agency recognizes other staff for milestone anniversaries

By Mike Pettinella, GCASA Publicist

Ask any of Amy Klos’ coworkers or supervisors and they’ll all say the same thing when it comes to the 21-year employee’s job performance at Genesee/Orleans Council on Alcoholism and Substance Abuse: She’s the one that holds things together.

Amy Klos

“Amy is always available to us no matter what is happening, she can multitask better than anyone and she always gets the job done well,” said Shannon Murphy, director of treatment at the Batavia clinic on East Main Street. “Amy truly cares about every staff member and our patients, and on most days, she is the glue.”

Murphy’s glowing assessment reflects the commitment and dedication that Klos has provided to the agency since starting as a secretary at its former Growney building location at Bank Street and Washington Avenue in 1999.

Since then, she has taken on more responsibility and, just recently, was promoted to the position of customer relations manager for GCASA’s Batavia and Albion clinics as well as the Opioid Treatment Program facility in Batavia.

A lifelong Oakfield resident, Klos found her way to GCASA after receiving a two-year degree from Central City Business Institute in Syracuse in the mid-1980s and working at the office of Dr. Yeong Lee, a Batavia pediatrician.

“I found out about the GCASA job from women who worked there and took their children to Dr. Lee,” she said. “They told me that they were in need of a secretary at GCASA, they posed the question and checked it out.”

Klos said she and two or three others worked in the front office (located in the basement of the Growney building) checking clients in, answering the telephone and verifying health insurance.

“I worked there for about 10 years before moving to the agency’s current location on East Main Street,” she said. “John Bennett was running the outpatient clinic – he now is GCASA’s executive director – and I was his secretary and also worked in the front office at the same time.”

As time passed, Klos moved into the director of treatment secretary position while continuing to assist the support staff, and in the late 2000s, she was elevated to supervisor of the Batavia office, overseeing a half-dozen employees.

“The agency was expanding at that time – the numbers in the clinic were increasing and the opioid epidemic also hit, which increased our workload and productivity,” Klos said, “and along with that came changes to policies and procedures.”

Three years ago, Klos was promoted to supervisor of the treatment and OTP (methadone) clinics and now has added an oversight role at the Albion clinic.

She said she is tasked with getting everyone on the same page, so to speak.

“Generally, the responsibilities across the clinics are very similar, so we’re trying to make all three offices the same as far as protocols and policies,” she explained. “There are some slight differences depending upon the doctor you’re working with, the day of the week and the prescribed dosage.”

Klos is a key player in the integration of services and procedures and, when at full strength, she is supervising eight full-time and part-time secretaries.

She said the best thing about GCASA is the “teamwork” displayed by the staff, which, by the way, includes her daughter, Katie, a nurse.

“The employees here help each other out and it’s great to know that people have your back. And it’s also nice to know that you can help people,” Klos said. “Change happens frequently but no matter what, you still have the basics. You have to remember to say please and thank you. That goes a long way and too many people don’t realize that.”

Klos said she strives to make a positive impact upon clients’ lives.

“When people are struggling, giving them a helping hand really does make a difference. I say to patients all the time, “I’m here if you want the help. If you don’t want the help, that’s up to you, but we’re here to help you 100 percent along the way.’”

When not on duty, Klos is keeping an eye on her mom, Ann Perfitt, who lives across the street from her in the village; joins in her husband as they “flip houses” on the weekends, enjoys outdoor activities and has fun with the family dog, Sam.

Murphy said she hopes Klos stays with the agency for another 20 years.

“Personally, I have had the pleasure of working next to Amy for over 15 years. She is diligent, smart and able to do her job while truly caring about everyone involved,” Murphy said. “I cannot imagine what I would do without her right next to me and as my friend. She truly is loved by all.”

In other GCASA news, the following employees were recognized recently for their longevity with the company:

• 5 years – Brenda Post, QA/corporate compliance officer, Genesee County Clinic; Shandi Temperato, chemical dependency counselor, Orleans County Clinic.

• 10 years – Diana Fulcomer, prevention educator, Orleans Prevention Program; Cherlyne Gerould, payroll manager, Genesee County Administration.

• 15 years – Sherri Bensley, assistant director of prevention, Orleans Prevention Program; Nick Mardino, maintenance, Orleans County Clinic.

• 20 years – Cyndi Mardino, secretary, Orleans County Clinic; Stephanie Nadolinski, house manager, Atwater Community Residential Program.

• 30 years – Kim Corcoran, human resources/administrative assistant, Genesee County Administration.

Orleans County today is reporting 25 more new positive cases of Covid-19 for a total of 2,189 cases since last March.

The positive cases reside in the West Region (Yates, Ridgeway, Shelby), Central Region (Carlton, Gaines, Albion, Barre) and East Region (Kendall, Murray, Clarendon).

The individuals are in the age groups of 0-19, 20s, 30s, 40s, 50s, 60s, 70s and 80s.

Of the new cases, two are residents at the Villages of Orleans Health & Rehabilitation Center in Albion and two inmates at the Orleans Correctional Facility, a men’s prison in Albion.

The Genesee and Orleans County Health Departments are also reporting four of the new positive individuals were on quarantine prior to testing positive.

Orleans also is reporting 11 more of the previous positive individuals have recovered and been removed from the isolation list.

There are also four residents hospitalized due to Covid.

Albion Central School reports an elementary school staff member has tested positive for Covid-19. The staff member was last in school on Jan. 29.

Students and staff members deemed to have been in close contact with the individual have been identified by the district and anyone needing to quarantine has been contacted by the Department of Health, the district stated on its website.

Holley Central School reported on Monday that a Middle/High School staff member tested positive for Covid-19. The last day this person was in the district was Jan. 29.

The Health Department has indicated to us that there will be no quarantining required of any students or staff members due to close contact with this individual at the school.

In Genesee County there are 9 new positive cases of Covid-19 for a total of 3,876 positive cases since March.

The new positive cases reside in the Central Region (Alexander, Batavia, Bethany, Elba, Oakfield) and East Region (Bergen, Byron, LeRoy, Pavilion, Stafford).

The individuals are in the age groups of 0-19, 30s, 50s, 60s and 80s.

Genesee is reporting 23 more of the previous positive individuals have recovered and been removed from the isolation list.

There are currently 20 Genesee County residents hospitalized due to Covid.

Genesee and Orleans counties are each hosting rapid test clinics for Covid-19 this week. There are spots open.

Genesee County is offering the testing today from 1 to 3:30 p.m. at the Genesee County Emergency Management/Fire Training Center, 7690 State Street Rd. in Batavia. As of 10:30 a.m., there were 122 spots open for the free tests. Click here for more information.

Orleans County will have the testing clinic on Wednesday from 1 to 3 p.m. at the Orleans County 4-H Fairgrounds on Route 31 in Knowlesville. There were 203 spots available at 10:30 a.m. today. Click here for more information.

Those getting tested should fill out the Rapid Covid-19 Test Intake Form. If you are filling out the form, complete it, print it out and bring it with you. Click here for the form.

The Genesee and Orleans County Health Departments expect to stop doing the rapid test clinics to devote more resources to Covid-19 vaccination clinics as the supply of doses increases.

Genesee and Orleans top 6,000 confirmed Covid cases during pandemic

Orleans County has three more deaths from Covid, with two people under age 65 and one over 65, the Genesee and Orleans County Health Departments is reporting this evening.

According to state fatality data, Orleans now has 78 deaths from Covid and Genesee is at 107.

One of the deaths reported today was a resident of Orchard Rehabilitation & Nursing Center in Medina. The individual was under the age of 65, the Health Departments said.

“We will not be reporting any further information to protect the privacy of the individuals and their families,” the Health Departments said in a statement. “We extend our deepest condolences to the families and friends of these individuals at this very sad time.”

Orleans County also is reporting 36 new positive cases of Covid-19 today in the first update since Friday afternoon. That puts the total cases in the county at 2,164 since last March.

The positive cases reside in the West Region (Yates, Ridgeway, Shelby), Central Region (Carlton, Gaines, Albion, Barre) and East Region (Kendall, Murray, Clarendon). The individuals are in the age groups of 0-19, 20s, 30s, 40s, 50s, 60s, 70s, 80s and 90s.

Five of the new positive individuals are residents at the Orchard Rehabilitation & Nursing Center in Medina and one is a resident at the Villages of Orleans Health and Rehabilitation Center in Albion. Of the 36 new cases, 7 were on quarantine prior to testing positive.

Orleans also is reporting 56 more of the previous positive individuals have recovered and been removed from the isolation list.

The county has four residents currently hospitalized due to Covid.

Albion Central School reported an elementary staff member tested positive for Covid-19. As the staff member was last in school on Jan. 22, the Department of Health has determined there is no need to quarantine any additional students or staff due to the 48-hour look-back period, the district stated on its website.

In Genesee County, there are 46 new positive cases for a total of 3,867 cases since last March.

Combined Orleans and Genesee now have passed 6,000 cases (6,031) in the two counties. Orleans has 40,352 people, according to the 2019 Census estimate, and Genesee is at 57,280, according to the 2019 Census estimate. The 6,031 cases represent 6.2 percent of the combined population of 97,632.

The new positive cases in Genesee reside in the West Region (Alabama, Darien, Pembroke), Central Region (Alexander, Batavia, Bethany, Elba, Oakfield) and East Region (Bergen, Byron, LeRoy, Pavilion, Stafford). The individuals are in the age groups of 0-19, 20s, 30s, 40s, 50s, 60s, 70s and 80s.

Genesee is reporting 50 more of the previous positive individuals have recovered and been removed from the isolation list.

There are 20 Genesee residents hospitalized due to Covid.

Active Cases: The number of active cases in the two counties declined from 292 on Friday to 249 today. That includes Orleans County dropping below 100, from 127 to 98. Genesee is down from 165 on Friday to 151 today.

Finger Lakes positivity rate drops below 4 percent

This chart from the Governor’s Office shows each region’s 7-day average percentage of positive test results over the last three days.

In the Finger Lakes, the 7-day average for positive tests dropped below 4 percent on Saturday to 3.92. At the beginning of the month, the region’s positivity rate was over 10 percent.

The nine-county region also has 542 people hospitalized due to Covid. That is more than 400 fewer than the 964 on Dec. 28.

Locally, among the GLOW counties, here are the percent positive in the past 7 days:

• Genesee, 4.5 percent
• Livingston, 4.1 percent
• Orleans, 6.2 percent
• Wyoming, 7.4 percent

This is the percent positive in the past 14 days:

• Genesee, 5.2 percent
• Livingston, 5.4 percent
• Orleans, 6.1 percent
• Wyoming, 8.4 percent

Statewide the positivity rate is at 4.44 percent. It was at 7.45 percent on Jan. 1. There were also 7,976 patient hospitalizations statewide on Saturday. The hospitalizations were at 9,273 on Jan. 19.

Governor Andrew M. Cuomo today announced that the state 7-day average Covid-19 positivity rate has declined for 23 straight days.

“We’ve dealt with a holiday surge driven by increased social activity, the surge is reducing, and the state’s 7-day average positivity rate has declined for 23 straight days, which is a significant trend,” Cuomo said. “As we continue to vaccinate as many New Yorkers as supply will allow, with our expansive distribution network ready to vaccinate significantly more people, it’s critical that New Yorkers stay safe. All the models show a continued reduction, and so we’ve been able to loosen restrictions with micro-clusters, the orange zones, and New York City indoor dining. In the here and now, the news is very good, but keep an eye on the U.K. variants and the other variants because all of them suggest more diligence will be needed.”

2 counties report 3 more Covid-19 deaths

Orleans County is reporting 8 new positive cases of Covid-19 total, which is a rare day in the past two months when the county wasn’t in double digits for new cases. Orleans has now had 2,128 people test positive for Covid since last March.

The positive cases reside in the West Region (Yates, Ridgeway, Shelby), Central Region (Carlton, Gaines, Albion, Barre) and East Region (Kendall, Murray, Clarendon). The individuals are in the age groups of 0-19, 20s, 40s and 70s.

Of the new cases, 2 were on quarantine prior to testing positive. One of the cases also is a resident at the Orchard Rehabilitation & Nursing Center in Medina.

The county also is reporting 20 of the previous positive individuals have recovered and been removed from the isolation list.

There are currently 7 residents hospitalized due to Covid.

There are currently 127 actives cases in the county, which is down from 167 a week ago.

The Genesee and Orleans County Health Departments is reporting another death from Orleans due to Covid. The person is over age 65. Orleans is reporting five deaths from Covid since a week ago and 76 during the pandemic due to Covid.

“We will not be reporting any further information to protect the privacy of the individual and their family,” the Health Departments stated in a news briefing this afternoon in announcing the death. “We extend our deepest condolences to the family and friends of this individual at this very sad time.”

• Medina Central School is reporting four students tested positive for Covid, with two in the high school and two in the middle school.

With the four students, the Health Department is working with the school district to identify any potential close contacts and is notifying families who may have to quarantine, according to a letter on the district website from Mark Kruzynski, Medina’s district superintendent.

In Genesee County there are 46 new positive cases for a total of 3,821 confirmed cases since March.

The new positive cases reside in the West Region (Alabama, Darien, Pembroke), Central Region (Alexander, Batavia, Bethany, Elba, Oakfield) and East Region (Bergen, Byron, LeRoy, Pavilion, Stafford).

The individuals are in the age groups of 0-19, 20s, 30s, 40s, 50s, 60s, 70s, 80s and 90s.

The new cases include a resident of the Batavia VA Medical Center and a resident of Premier Genesee in Batavia.

The county is reporting 39 more of the previous positive individuals have recovered and been removed from the isolation list.

Genesee currently has 165 active cases which is down by 76 from the 241 a week ago.

The county also is reporting 21 residents are hospitalized due to Covid.

Genesee also has two more Covid-related deaths, who are both over the age of 65 and were residents of the LeRoy Village Green Residential Healthcare Facility. The county had six Covid-related deaths since a week ago and now has had 107 residents pass away due to Covid since last March, according to the Health Department data.

Corrections from the G-O Health Departments: The following two cases previously identified as residents of the Leroy Village Green Residential Healthcare Facility were double counted and have been retracted from today’s data: a case in his/her 80s and a case in his/her 60s. Two other cases previously reported as residents of the Leroy Village Green Residential Healthcare Facility are community members and have been retracted from today’s data.

Chart from Governor’s Office: This is each region’s 7-day average percentage of positive test results reported over the last three days.

Statewide Data: There were 12,579 new positive cases in the state reported on Thursday out of 270,518 tests for a positivity rate of 4.65 percent.

There were 8,357 people hospitalized due to Covid, which is down by 163 from Wednesday. There were also 151 deaths, bringing the total to 34,893.

Governor Andrew Cuomo today announced that assuming New York State’s Covid-19 infection rate stays on its current trajectory, indoor dining in New York City can reopen at 25 percent capacity on Valentine’s Day.

Cuomo also announced that marriage receptions will be able to resume in accordance with state guidance on March 15. Events must be approved by the local health department. There will be a 50 percent capacity limit and no more than 150 people can attend the event. All patrons must be tested prior to the event.

“As data on infection rates and hospitalizations continue to improve, we must begin taking steps to jumpstart our economic recovery as long as public health can be protected,” Cuomo said.

Photos by Tom Rivers

RIDGEWAY – Zach Busch, a junior-senior high music teacher in Holley, received his first dose of the Covid-19 vaccine this afternoon. Connie Ferris gave him the shot.

“It’s peace of mind,” said Busch, 27. “I feel it’s important to protect not only myself but my students and my colleagues.”

Many of the people vaccinated today were school employees, who are in the 1b eligibility group.

Ferris has been a nurse for 54 years. She volunteered at the vaccination clinic today at the Ridgeway Volunteer Fire Company at the corner of Ridge Road and Horan Road.

Today was the first Covid vaccination clinic run by Orleans County. The slots filled up quickly and 100 doses were given out. The site could accommodate up to 600 people in a day.

Paul Pettit, the public health director in Orleans and Genesee counties, looks forward to more doses being available locally. If there is a big increase in doses, the clinic could have expanded hours each day and be available on multiple days during the week.

The Health Department ran smaller-scale vaccination clinics about a decade ago for H1N1 at the Health Department building in Albion, and the department also runs flu vaccine clinics.

But Pettit said the Covid-19 clinics will be a much larger scale and for a longer duration.

Orleans Community Health, Oak Orchard Health and some of the local pharmacies also have been administering vaccine doses.

Dan Doctor, in front at right, served as a greeter at the clinic. He works as the community outreach liaison at Medina Central School. He is chatting with David Bell, the emergency preparedness coordinator for the Genesee and Orleans County Health Departments.

Many community members volunteered to run the clinic today from 1 to 4 p.m. Volunteers don’t need a medical background. There are other roles as greeters, runners, observers and data recorders.

People interested in volunteering at a clinic can contact the Health Department at (585) 589-3278 or the Orleans County Emergency Management Office at (585) 589-4414.

Jeanne Crane, left, and Carla Wahls draw the vaccine. Each vial of the vaccine from Moderna had about 10 doses. Some had 11. The nurses make sure each shot had the right amount to be administered.

Crane is a retired nurse at Medina Memorial Hospital. She retired in 2003, and heeded the call for assistance at the vaccination clinics.

“I feel very strongly that the vaccine will help us to get out again and I saw the need to volunteer,” Crane said. “The Health Department doesn’t have the necessary staff during this pandemic. So I called them.”

Those who received a vaccine today should get a second dose of the vaccine in 28 days. Carla Wahls, the registered nurse, acknowledged the vaccine is in high demand.

“This is like liquid gold right now,” she said.

Orleans and Genesee counties today are reporting 69 more cases of Covid-19 in the two counties, for a total of 5,897 since last March, the Genesee and Orleans County Health Departments reported this afternoon.

In Orleans County, there are 33 new confirmed cases for a total of 2,120 positive cases. The new cases reported today are residents of the West Region (Yates, Ridgeway, Shelby), Central Region (Carlton, Gaines, Albion, Barre) and East Region (Kendall, Murray, Clarendon).

The individuals are in the age groups of 0-19, 20s, 40s, 50s, 60s, 70s, 80s and 90s. Of the new cases, 5 were on quarantine prior to testing positive.

The new cases also include 12 residents at the Orchard Rehabilitation & Nursing Center in Medina, which has now had 104 of its residents test positive for Covid during the pandemic.

Orleans is reporting 11 of the previous positive individuals have recovered and been removed from the isolation list.

The county also has 11 residents currently hospitalized due to Covid.

Rapid Testing Results: Orleans County conducted a rapid testing clinic on Wednesday at the Orleans County 4-H Fairgrounds. Of the 316 tests, there were 18 positives, including 17 from Orleans County.

This was going to be the last scheduled rapid test clinic, but the Health Department is planning to do another one next week on Wednesday at the Fairgrounds.

Medina Central School is reporting a middle school student has tested positive for Covid-19. After consultation with the Orleans County Health Department, the district is in the process of notifying all the families of those who will be quarantined, Mark Kruzynski, district superintendent, wrote in a letter on the school website.

In Genesee County, there are 36 new positive cases reported today for a total of 3,777 confirmed cases since last March.

The new positive cases reside in the West Region (Alabama, Darien, Pembroke), Central Region (Alexander, Batavia, Bethany, Elba, Oakfield) and East Region (Bergen, Byron, LeRoy, Pavilion, Stafford).

The individuals are in the age groups of 0-19, 20s, 30s, 40s, 50s, 60s, 70s, 80s and 90s.

The new cases also include a resident of the Batavia VA Medical Center and resident of the New York State Veteran’s Home at Batavia.

Genesee is reporting that 27 more previous positive individuals have recovered and been removed from the isolation list.

There are 20 Genesee residents currently hospitalized with Covid, the G-O Health Departments said.

The Health Departments confirmed the death of a person over age 65 who was a resident at the Leroy Village Green Residential Healthcare Facility. The death from the State Department of Health said this is the 107^th death in Genesee County from Covid, and the sixth reported since Friday.

The state data also shows another death from Covid in Orleans County for 75 Covid deaths in the pandemic. Click here to see the state data on Covid deaths.

This chart from the Governor’s Office shows each region’s 7-day average percentage of positive test results over the last three days.

The Finger Lakes Region, which had nearly 1,000 people in hospitalized due to Covid a month ago, now has 634 in the hospital, according to data from the Governor’s Office.

Besides reducing hospitalizations from 964 to 634 since Dec. 28, the region’s percentage of positive Covid tests has dropped from near 9 percent to less than 5 percent.

The current 7-day average of positive tests is 4.67 percent, the third lowest of the 10 regions.

State-wide, the numbers of hospitalizations due to Covid dropped by 251 on Wednesday to 8,520.

The statewide positivity rate is currently 5.34 percent. A month ago is 7.14 percent statewide.

“New York State is once again making our way down the mountain after experiencing a holiday surge,” Governor Cuomo said today. “Our infection and hospitalization rates are steadily declining thanks to the actions of New Yorkers, but there is still more work to be done. While more vaccines are on the way from the Biden administration, we must continue actively working to protect our hospitals and their staff to help ensure they do not become overwhelmed.”

Orleans and Genesee counties each have 28 new confirmed Covid-19 cases to report today, bringing the combined total for the two counties to 5,828 since March.

In Orleans County, the 28 new positive cases bring the county’s total to 2,087 confirmed cases during the pandemic. The new positive cases reside in the West Region (Yates, Ridgeway, Shelby), Central Region (Carlton, Gaines, Albion, Barre) and East Region (Kendall, Murray, Clarendon).

The individuals are in the age groups of 0-19, 20s, 40s, 50s, 60s and 70s, the Genesee and Orleans County Health Departments is reporting.

Of the new cases, three are residents of the Orchard Rehabilitation & Nursing Center in Medina and one is an inmate at the Orleans Correctional Facility, a men’s prison in Albion.

In addition, 8 of the new positive individuals were on quarantine prior to testing positive.

Correction from the G-O Health Departments: The following cases were determined not to be Orleans County residents and have been retracted from today’s data: Case in his/her 50s from the West Region and 0-19 from the East Region.

The county also is reporting 15 of the previous positive individuals have recovered and been removed from the isolation list.

There are 11 county residents currently hospitalized due to Covid.

Albion Central School is reporting an elementary student tested positive for Covid-19. As the student was last in school on Jan. 21, the Department of Health has determined there is no need to quarantine any additional students or staff due to the 48-hour look-back period, the district posted on its website.

Holley Central School said two staff members have tested positive for Covid-19, one at the Middle School/High School and one at the Elementary School. The last day each person was in the district was Jan. 26.

“The health department is still processing these cases and we will cooperate with them,” Brian Bartalo, district superintendent, posted on the HCS website. “If warranted, any official decision on mandatory quarantining of students or additional staff members will come directly from the health department. If the health department indicates to us that there is quarantining required for the students who may have had close contact with these staff members, we will reach out to those families ASAP. In the meantime, if you don’t hear from the school district or the department of health, there’s nothing for anyone to do at this time.”

At Lyndonville Central School all 5th grade students will be on remote learning tomorrow, January 28^th, due to a precautionary Covid-19 quarantine.

“Fifth grade families/students impacted by this positive Covid-19 case will be contacted tomorrow with further information and more details after we gather more information and direction from the Health Department,” said Superintendent Jason Smith.

In Genesee County, the 28 new positive cases bring the total to 3,741 confirmed cases during the pandemic.

The new positive cases reside in the West Region (Alabama, Darien, Pembroke), Central Region (Alexander, Batavia, Bethany, Elba, Oakfield) and East Region (Bergen, Byron, LeRoy, Pavilion, Stafford).

The individuals are in the age groups of 0-19, 20s, 30s, 40s, 50s, 60s, 70s and 80s.

Genesee is reporting that 27 of the previous positive individuals have recovered and have been removed from the isolation list.

Genesee has 23 residents hospitalized with Covid.

The local Health Department said a resident over age 65 has passed away from Covid-19. The state Department of Health website (click here) shows 2 more Genesee residents have died from Covid since the last update on Tuesday, and 5 more since Friday, for 106 total now in Genesee.

County may add more testing clinics if needed, but will shift to vaccination clinics

There is a rapid Covid-19 testing clinic today from 1 to 4 p.m. at the Orleans County 4-H Fairgrounds. This is the last one scheduled by the Orleans County Health Department.

It will be shifting its focus to vaccination clinics, with the first one Thursday at the Ridgeway Volunteer Fire Company. The appointments are full for that clinic where about 100 people will be vaccinated. That clinic will have the capacity to do 600 vaccinations a day once the county gets more vaccine doses, said Paul Pettit, the public health director for Orleans and Genesee.

“We’re ready to go it’s just a matter of getting the vaccine,” he said.

He praised local volunteers for stepping up to run the rapid test clinic and now the vaccination effort. More people are needed to run the vaccination clinics. Anyone interested in volunteered at the vaccination clinics can reach out to Justin Niederhofer, deputy director of the Orleans County Emergency Management Office, at (585) 589-4414.

The county has been testing about 500 people at the weekly clinics at the Fairgrounds. As of 8:50 this morning, there were still 66 spots open. Click here to register and click here to fill out a form from the Genesee and Orleans County Health Departments.

Pettit said the county and region’s daily new Covid cases and percentage of positive tests have been trending downward. He expects the governor today to announce some restrictions to be lifted in the micro-cluster zones in Genesee, Niagara, Monroe and Erie counties. Orleans wasn’t designated in one of those zones.

He said public health officials around the state has been frustrated by the “very slow” distribution of the vaccines so far.

“It is an issue throughout the state,” he said on a conference call Tuesday evening with local officials. “Rural, urban it doesn’t matter. We are all proportionally hurting.”

The supply so far from the federal government has been “anemic,” Pettit said.

“The volume we’re getting is a pittance of what we need,” he said.

Orleans received 200 doses this week, but the Health Department is putting in requests for thousands of vaccine doses.

“We’re doing what we can to advocate from our end,” Pettit said. “Everybody is in the same boat.”

State data shows 3 more deaths from Covid in both Orleans and Genesee since Friday

Orleans and Genesee counties today are reporting 49 more cases pf Covid-19 for 5,774 cases in the two counties since March, with 2,061 in Orleans and 3,713 in Genesee.

The two counties have each had three more deaths from Covid since Friday and now are at 74 deaths in Orleans and 104 in Genesee. Click here to see the state data.

In Orleans County, there are 23 new positive cases of Covid-19. They reside in the West Region (Yates, Ridgeway, Shelby), Central Region (Carlton, Gaines, Albion, Barre) and East Region (Kendall, Murray, Clarendon).

Of the new cases, two are residents at the Orchard Rehabilitation & Nursing Center.

The 23 individuals are in the age groups of 0-19, 20s, 30s, 40s, 50s, 60s and 70s, the Genesee and Orleans County Health Departments reported. Of the new cases, three were on quarantine prior to testing positive.

Correction from the G-O Health Departments: The following case was determined not to be an Orleans County resident and has been retracted from today’s data: a person in his/her 30s from the West Region.

Orleans is reporting 28 of the previous positive individuals have recovered and been removed from the isolation list.

There are currently 10 Orleans County residents hospitalized with Covid.

Albion Central School is reporting a student from the high school has tested positive for Covid-19. Because the student was last in school on Jan. 21, the Department of Health has determined there is no need to quarantine any additional students or staff due to the 48-hour look-back period, the district stated on its website.

Medina Central School reported a student from the middle school has tested positive for Covid. The student has not been in school for almost two weeks. The Health Department has determined no further quarantines are necessary, said Mark Kruzynski, the district superintendent.

In Genesee County, there are 26 new positive cases of Covid-19. The new positive cases reside in the West Region (Alabama, Darien, Pembroke), Central Region (Alexander, Batavia, Bethany, Elba, Oakfield) and East Region (Bergen, Byron, LeRoy, Pavilion, Stafford). Of the new cases, one is a resident of the Batavia VA Medical Center.

The individuals are in the age groups of 0-19, 20s, 30s, 40s, 50s, 60s and 70s.

Genesee is reporting 32 more of the previous positive individuals have recovered and been removed from the isolation list.

Genesee has 21 residents hospitalized due to Covid.

The Health Departments noted two of the deaths in Genesee, both over age 65. One resided at Genesee Senior Living and one was at the Batavia VA Medical Center.

Vaccine Information: At this time all appointments are full. The G-O Health Departments encourage eligible people to keep monitoring in case people have canceled. People are encouraged to cancel their appointment if:

• they are experiencing symptoms of Covid-19, the flu or a cold;
• if they have been placed on mandatory quarantine because they are identified as a close contact to someone who has tested positive for Covid-19;
• or they can’t make the appointment for any other reason.

Canceling the appointment as soon as you are aware you can’t make it will open up a new appointment for someone else. Please make sure you cancel using the information on your confirmation sheet or by calling the provider. The health departments cannot cancel appointments for other providers.

To check for vaccination clinics in Genesee and Orleans counties, click here.

Number of active cases drops from 495 on Jan. 12 to 301 today

Orleans and Genesee counties today are reporting 100 new Covid-19 cases in the first update from the G-O Health Departments since Friday. That brings the combined total to 5,726 in the two counties since March with 3,687 in Genesee and 2,039 in Orleans.

In Orleans County there are 33 new positive cases of Covid-19. The positive cases reside in the West Region (Yates, Ridgeway, Shelby), Central Region (Carlton, Gaines, Albion, Barre) and East Region (Kendall, Murray, Clarendon).

The individuals are in the age groups of 0-19, 20s, 30s, 40s, 50s, 60s, 70s and 80s. Of the new cases, 6 were on quarantine prior to testing positive.

Orleans also is reporting 66 more of the previous positive individuals have recovered and been removed from the isolation list.

The number of active cases in the county has dropped 243 on Jan. 12 to 134 today. Six days ago on Jan. 19 there were 158 active cases in the county.

Orleans has 9 residents hospitalized due to Covid. There were 18 hospitalized on Jan. 19.

Albion Central School is reporting a middle school student and staff member have both tested positive for Covid-19.

“As the student learns fully remotely and hasn’t been in school since Nov. 30 and the staff member was last in school on Dec. 15, the Department of Health has determined there is no need to quarantine any additional students or staff due to the 48-hour look-back period,” the district posted on its website.

In Genesee County, there are 67 new positive cases since Friday. The new positive cases reside in the West Region (Alabama, Darien, Pembroke), Central Region (Alexander, Batavia, Bethany, Elba, Oakfield) and East Region (Bergen, Byron, LeRoy, Pavilion, Stafford).

The individuals are in the age groups of 0-19, 20s, 30s, 40s, 50s, 60s, 70s, 80s and 90s.

Of the new cases, 4 are residents of the Batavia VA Medical Center.

Correction from the Genesee and Orleans County Health Departments: The following case was double counted and has been retracted from today’s data; Case in his/her 20s from Bergen.

Genesee is reporting 130 of the previous positive individuals have recovered and been removed from the isolation list.

The number of active cases in the county is at 167 today, which is down from 199 on Jan. 19 and 252 on Jan. 12.

Genesee is reporting 24 residents are hospitalized due to Covid, which is more than double the 11 on Jan. 19.

• Vaccine Information: At this time all appointments are full, however the G-O Health Departments encourage those eligible to keep monitoring in case people have canceled. People are encouraged to cancel their appointment if they are experiencing symptoms of Covid-19, the flu or a cold; if they have been placed on mandatory quarantine because they are identified as a close contact to someone who has tested positive for COVID-19; or they can’t make the appointment for any other reason.

Canceling the appointment as soon as you are aware you can’t make it will open up a new appointment for someone else. Please make sure you cancel using the information on your confirmation sheet or by calling the provider. The health departments cannot cancel appointments for other providers.

To check for vaccination clinics in Genesee and Orleans counties, click here.

Statewide: Cuomo says state’s rate of transmission has dropped below 1

Data and chart from Gov. Cuomo’s Office: This is each region’s 7-day average percentage of positive test results reported over the last three days.

Governor Andrew Cuomo today announced that New York State’s rate of transmission, or Rt, has dropped below 1. An Rt of 1 or more means Covid-19 will spread quickly, Cuomo said.

Cuomo also announced that elective surgeries can resume in Erie County following a sustained decline in Western New York’s positivity rate. The county’s positivity has steadily declined for nearly three weeks, going from 8.6 percent on January 7 to 5.2 percent. Hospitalizations have declined from 427 on Dec. 31 to 323. The county’s hospital capacity is at 48 percent.

“We predicted that increased social activity would lead to a spike in Covid cases, and that the spike would eventually dissipate, and the ongoing fulfilment of that prediction is good news,” he said. “The rate of transmission—one of the most important numbers—has now declined below 1, meaning the virus is no longer spreading quickly. And when those numbers decrease, you can increase economic activity.”

Today’s data is summarized briefly below:

Today’s statewide data includes:

• Test Results Reported – 219,538
• Total Positive – 12,003
• Percent Positive – 5.47%
• Patient Hospitalization – 8,730 (+117)
• Number ICU – 1,522 (-5)
• Deaths – 167 (Total deaths in pandemic – 34,242)