Genesee, Orleans and Wyoming all have their most Covid cases during pandemic

(Editor’s Note on Dec. 23 at 5:48 p.m: The Genesee & Orleans County Health Departments said they made a mistake with the 343 active cases for Genesee County. That number should have been 247. With that correction, the active cases for the three counties would be 538, which is still the most during the pandemic.)

The three local rural counties of Orleans, Genesee and Wyoming set a new record high on Monday for active cases of Covid-19 with 634 combined in the three counties.

They passed 600 active cases for the first time. On Friday, they hit 500 cases for the first time with 527.

Genesee County accounts for more than half of the cases with 343, followed by Orleans at 152 and Wyoming at 139.

Those caseloads are all the most for each of the counties during the Covid-19 pandemic.

Genesee’s previous high was 269 active cases on Dec. 7. Orleans was at 151 on Dec. 18 and Wyoming’s high was 123 on Dec. 10.

The three counties, which have a combined population of about 140,000, also have 2,071 people under mandatory quarantine for being close contacts to people with Covid. That includes 1,057 in Genesee, 530 in Orleans and 484 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. 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.

Both counties also report new deaths from Covid; Orleans passes 1,000 Covid cases since March

The neighboring counties of Genesee and Orleans combined have 235 more confirmed cases on Covid-19 since Friday, the Genesee and Orleans County Health Departments reported in a news briefing this evening.

In Orleans County, there are 76 new positive cases of Covid-19 for a total of 1,074 positive cases since March.

The new positive cases reside in all 10 towns in the county: Albion, Barre, Carlton, Clarendon, Gaines, Kendall, Murray, Ridgeway, Shelby and Yates. (Of the new cases, 1 is a resident of Orchard Rehabilitation and Nursing Center in Medina and 2 are inmates at the Orleans Correctional Facility in Albion.)

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

Of the new cases, 8 of the individuals were on mandatory quarantine prior to testing positive.

Orleans is reporting 72 of the previous positive individuals have recovered and been removed from the isolation list.

The county has six residents due hospitalized due to Covid, up from two on Friday.

The G-O Health Departments also reported a resident has died due to Covid. The person was a community member over age 65. This is the 61^st resident to die from Covid since March.

In Genesee County, there are 159 new positive cases of Covid-19 for a total of 1,831 since March.

The new positive cases reside in Alabama, Alexander, Batavia, Bergen, Byron,

Corfu, Darien, Elba, LeRoy, Oakfield, Pavilion and Stafford. (Of the new cases 28 are residents at New York State Veterans Home in Batavia and 2 are residents at the LeRoy Village Green.)

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

Genesee is reporting 112 of the previous positive individuals have recovered and been removed from the isolation list.

The county is reporting 14 residents are hospitalized, which is down from 29 on Friday.

A resident of the Batavia VA Medical Center also has died due to complications from Covid. The individual was over 65. This is the 20^th resident of Genesee County to pass away from county since March.

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.

Orleans Correctional Facility has 12 new confirmed cases

The Genesee and Orleans County Health Departments reported 82 new confirmed cases in the two counties today.

In Orleans County there are 30 new positive cases of Covid-19 and the county is close to reaching 1,000 cases since March. Orleans currently stands at 998 cases during the pandemic.

The new confirmed cases today reside in Albion, Carlton, Clarendon, Gaines, Murray, Ridgeway and Shelby.

The individuals are in the age groups of 0-19, 20s, 30s, 40s, 50s, 60s and 70s. Only 2 of the individuals were on mandatory quarantine prior to testing positive.

The new cases also include 12 inmates at Orleans Correctional Facility. That men’s prison has now had 15 inmates test positive. The women’s prison, the Albion Correctional Facility, has had 12 inmates test positive during the pandemic.

Orleans is also reporting that 25 of the previous positive individuals have recovered and been removed from the isolation list.

There are two residents currently hospitalized due to Covid-19.

• Kendall Central School was notified today that an elementary school has tested positive for Covid-19. The student was last in school on Thursday, Dec. 17.

“School will continue as scheduled and we will monitor the situation and work with health officials,” Julie Christensen, the district superintendent, said in a letter posted on the district website.

Department of Health contact tracers will call people who are considered close contacts. That process may be delayed due to a high number of cases in the county and region. Christensen said the school nurse may contact some people if there is a chance they are a close contact. Those people should stay home until determined otherwise by the Department of Health, Christensen said.

In Genesee County there are 52 new positive cases of Covid-19 for a total of 1,672 confirmed cases during the pandemic.

The new positive cases reside in Alabama, Alexander, Batavia, Bergen, Byron, Corfu, Darien, Elba, LeRoy and Oakfield. The individuals are in the age groups of 0-19, 20s, 30s, 40s, 50s, 60s, 70s, 80s and 90s.

Nine of the new cases are residents of nursing homes with 6 at LeRoy Village Green Residential Healthcare Facility, 2 at the New York State Veterans Home in Batavia, and 1 at Premier Genesee Center for Nursing and Rehabilitation in Batavia.

Genesee is reporting 18 of the previous positive individuals have recovered and been removed from the isolation list.

The county has a new high of residents hospitalized due to Covid with 29.

• Health Alert – This is a new format for announcing when there is a time when the G-O Health Departments cannot contact potential close contacts. This will replace several press releases and will be reported as needed.

The Health Departments encourage all businesses and organizations to take down names/contact information and time in attendance at their business to assist with contact tracing should someone be positive for Covid-19. This may eliminate the need for a press alert if the health officials are able to contact potential close contacts.

For people at Town and Country Restaurant in Batavia in Batavia on Dec. 13, between 3 and 4 p.m., they should monitor for symptoms of Covid-19. If the symptoms develop, contact a primary care provider to seek testing immediately and self-isolate until the test results are received.

Symptoms of Covid-19 include but are not limited to fever or chills, cough, shortness of breath or difficulty breathing, fatigue, muscle or body aches, headache, new loss of taste or smell, sore throat, congestion or runny nose, nausea or vomiting, and diarrhea.

Dr. Sallah Abbasey

MEDINA – Orleans Community Health has announced the retirement of Dr. Sallah Abbasey, effective at the end of 2020.

Dr. Abbasey has practiced surgery for more than 30 years and has been chief of surgery since 1997 at Orleans Community Health.

In a press release Friday morning, Orleans Community Health expressed thanks to Dr. Abbasey for all his years of dedicated service to Medina Memorial Hospital and the community. His legacy of high ethical standards and devotion to his profession and community have been outstanding.

Dr. Abbasey came to the United States from Pakistan in 1963 to train as a surgeon. He interned at Providence Hospital in Washington, D.C. before coming to Buffalo, where he did his surgical training at the University of Buffalo. In 1968 he completed the program. While studying for his surgical boards, he briefly joined the VA Medical Center in Canandaigua.

He came to Medina, where he explored the area and established his business.

A group of citizens, including Barbara Waters, Van Hungerford, Jack Botsford and several others in Medina had a vision to bring specialists to the community and Medina Memorial Hospital. They were able to recruit a surgeon, an OB/GYN, an internist and a pediatrician through this program.

Dr. Abbasey was part of their vision and established his surgical practice in Medina in 1970. It is noted he was the first county board certified general surgeon and Fellow of the American College of Surgeons for Orleans County.

On his first day of practice, Dr. Abbasey had an emergency case at midnight, where he had to activate the on-call surgical team. The case could have waited until morning, however, Dr. Abbasey was nervous with his first emergency case. The surgical team was very professional about coming in so late and everything went well for that first emergency. No one can say what would have happened if they had not acted when they did.

On a whim, Dr. Abbasey offered to take the medical director position temporarily when he learned they were having difficulty filling that job. The temporary position lasted from 1997 to 2020. During his tenure, Dr. Abbasey has been president of the medical staff, president of the County Medical Society, the Cancer Society, as well as a member of the County Health Board, to name a few.

Dr. Abbasey has been married to the former Christine Siedikowski from Buffalo for 52 years. They have four children and now enjoy their many grandchildren. Dr. Abbasey still considers Medina to be his home, even though he and his wife have moved to Rochester to be near one of their daughters. He appreciates all the love and support given to him and his family through his long career in Medina.

Nearly 500 cases in Genesee, Orleans and Wyoming

The three local rural counties of Genesee, Orleans and Wyoming combined have reached a new high for active cases of Covid-19.

The data reported Thursday by the health departments in the three counties puts the active cases at nearly 500 in the three counties, which combined have about 140,000 residents.

The 497 active cases reported Thursday passes the previous high of 449, which was recorded on Dec. 7 and Dec. 10. On Wednesday there were 446 active cases, which was up from 417 on Tuesday.

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.

Orleans County currently has its record-high for active cases with 159. The previous high was 144 on Dec. 11.

Lynne Johnson, the Orleans County Legislature chairwoman, urged the community to take precautions to slow the spread of Covid. She worries the county will be designated a micro-cluster zone by the state, with restrictions imposed on businesses.

“What we need to do is get our numbers down before we are shut down,” Johnson said during Wednesday’s County Legislature meeting.

Genesee and Wyoming also are near their pandemic highs. Genesee on Thursday recorded 220 active cases. It’s high was 269 on Dec. 7.

Wyoming was at 118 active cases on Thursday. It’s high during the pandemic is 123.

Orleans also reports a death from Covid, now 60 during pandemic

There are 86 new confirmed cases of Covid-19 in Orleans and Genesee counties today, the local health departments reported in a daily news briefing at about 9 p.m.

• In Orleans County, there are 38 new positive cases of Covid-19 for a total of 968 cases since March.

The new positive cases are residents of Albion, Barre, Carlton, Clarendon, Murray, Ridgeway, Shelby and Yates. The individuals are in the age groups of 0-19, 20s, 30s, 40s, 50s, 60s and 80s.

Of the new cases, 8 of the individuals were on mandatory quarantine prior to testing positive.

Orleans also is reporting 12 of the previous positive individuals have recovered and been removed from the isolation list.

There are two Orleans residents currently hospitalized due to Covid, according to Genesee and Orleans County Health Departments.

A resident over age 65 also has passed away from Covid, bringing the total deatsh in the county due to Covid to 60 in the pandemic.

“We are saddened to report the Covid-related death of a community resident,” the Health Departments stated. “The individual was over 65 years old. We will not be releasing any further information to protect the privacy of the individual and their family. Our deepest condolences go out to the family and friends of this individual during this very difficult time.”

One of the new positive cases counted on Dec. 16 was determined not to be an Orleans County resident and has been deleted from the county’s total numbers.

• Lyndonville Central School was notified that a student has tested positive for Covid-19. The student hasn’t been on campus in several months, District Superintendent Jason Smith said in a letter on the district website.

There is no need for contact tracing at the school campus with this particular case, and therefore, no quarantine directives will be issued by the Health Department for students who attend school full-time on our campus and staff, Smith said.

Students who attend off-campus programs may be required to quarantine, and this information will either come from the Health Department or the student’s off-campus program provider.

• In Genesee County, there are 48 new confirmed cases of Covid-19 for a total of 1,620

positive cases since March. (Two of the new positive cases are residents at LeRoy Village Green Residential Healthcare Facility.)

The new positive cases reside in Alabama, Alexander, Batavia, Bergen, Bethany, Byron, Darien, Elba, LeRoy, Oakfield and Pavilion.

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

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

Genesee has 24 residents hospitalized due to complications from Covid.

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

• State-wide Data: There were 202,772 tests reported yesterday and 10,914 were positive or 5.38 percent.

The state reported 6,147 patients hospitalized due to Covid statewide, up by 50 from the previous day. There were also 1,095 patients in the ICU, which was down by three.

There were also 120 deaths due to complications from Covid, bringing the state total to 28,222 during the pandemic.

“On Covid, let’s solidify a simple message that we can all agree with. We want to slow the spread, we want to avoid shutdowns, and together we can do it,” Governor Cuomo said. “We slow the spread by being smart during the holiday season. It’s a difficult situation and people come together. There’s a feeling of safety in your home and there’s a feeling of safety when you’re with your family, but it just takes one person who’s infected and doesn’t know it. Half the cases are from people who had no symptoms.”

• Rapid Testing: Pre-registration is required for rapid testing clinics.

Correction for the total number of positives reported for the Orleans County rapid testing clinic on Wednesday: 10 Orleans County residents tested positive, as well as 2 non-county residents, for 12 total.

Orleans County will be hosting a rapid testing clinic on Monday, Dec. 21, from 1 to 4 p.m. Click here to register online.

The focus is for asymptomatic individuals and is free. This is a self-administered rapid test at the Orleans County 4- H Fairgrounds, 12690 Rt. 31. Please use the Taylor Hill Road entrance.

If you have a printer, complete and bring your GO Health Intake Form (click here for the form). If you need assistance with online registration because you don’t have internet, call the Orleans County Health Department at 585-589- 3278.

To register for upcoming Genesee County drive-thru testing clinics on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 1 to 4 p.m., click here for the registration link. If you have a printer, complete and bring your GO Health Intake Form (click here).

Anyone needing additional help for online registration may contact the Genesee County Health Department at 585-344-2580 ext. 5555. There will be no rapid test clinics on December 24th or December 31st in Genesee County.

400 tested with 12 positives for Covid-19; Next county clinic on Monday

Photos by Tom Rivers

KNOWLESVILLE – Motorists line up outside the Trolley Building at the Orleans County 4-H Fairgrounds to give self-administered Covid-19 rapid tests.

This was the first free rapid testing clinic offered in Orleans County. There were 360 people tested, as well as 42 personnel who ran the clinic. Of those 402 tests, there were 12 people who were positive for Covid-19. (None of the personnel were positive for the virus.)

The 12 positives out of 402 tests is a positivity rate of 3 percent. That is much lower than the county’s positivity rate the previous seven days, which was 9.6 percent, the highest of the nine counties in the Finger Lakes Region. The Orleans rate on Tuesday was 12.6 percent with 19 positive tests out of 151, according to state data.

Today’s clinic was targeted for asymptomatic individuals. Genesee County had a testing clinic on Tuesday and 60 of the 550 people tested were positive.

“The goal is to identify the positives and get them into isolation to reduce the exposure and not spread it out into the community,” said Paul Pettit, public health director in Orleans and Genesee counties.

Jack Welch, the county’s chief administrative officer, carries a test to another volunteer inside the Trolley Building. The volunteer personnel all wore fitted N-95 masks and face shields.

The state paid for the test kits and the county needed to organize the clinic and find the personnel for the testing. Justin Niederhofer, deputy director of the Orleans County Emergency Management Office, took the lead in organizing the testing clinic and fitting all of the personnel for N-95 masks.

Jack Welch holds one of the nasal swabs which people would self-administer, putting it in a lower nostril for 5 seconds. The results would come back in 15 minutes, with the personnel texting or calling people with their results. They will also receive an email.

The cars are lined up just before the start of the rapid testing clinic at 1 p.m. The drivers and passengers were first screened at the start at a trailer for the Orleans County Emergency Management Office.

Roxanne Wagner, a secretary at the Holley Junior-Senior High School, was among the volunteers at today’s clinic. She puts a testing kit in a plastic bag. Bill Fine is next to her. He also volunteered today.

The county will be offering the testing clinics weekly until at least the end of January. The clinics will usually be on Wednesdays but next week will be on Monday from 1 to 4 p.m. An online registration link is available by clicking here. The clinic will be on Monday next week so it’s not so close to Christmas.

Bill Fine, left, and Paul Grout look closely at one of the test kits to see if the results are negative or positive.

This group of volunteers include Dan Doctor, Medina Central School’s director of community outreach. Many of the local school districts, towns, villages and county departments had personnel at the testing clinic.

“Everything ran smoothly,” Pettit said.

The county had a reduced capacity today for the first testing clinic with about 400 people tested. That will be expanded to 480 tests for the next one on Monday.

Oak Orchard Health also will be offering free Rapid Covid-19 tests at Oak Orchard’s Albion location on Friday from 5:30 to 7 p.m. Click here for more information.

There are 90 new confirmed cases of Covid-19 reported today in Genesee and Orleans counties. The two counties also have 58 recoveries from Covid, thr genesee and Orleans County Health Departments reported.

In Orleans County there are 28 new positive cases of Covid-19 for a total of 931 cases since March.

The new positive cases reside in Albion, Barre, Carlton, Kendall, Ridgeway and Shelby. The individuals are in the age groups of 0-19, 20s, 30s, 40s, 50s, 60s and 70s.

Of the new cases, 10 of the individuals were on mandatory quarantine prior to testing positive.

The county is also reporting 25 of the previous positive individuals have recovered and been removed from the isolation list.

Orleans also is reporting 2 of the current positive individuals are hospitalized.

• Albion Central School was informed today that a staff member in the elementary school tested positive for Covid-19. The last day the staff member was in school was Friday, Dec. 11.

Contact tracing and the quarantine of students and staff members was implemented according to health department guidelines, the school district stated on its website.

• Kendall Central School is reporting its first high school student has tested positive for Covid-19. The student was last in school on Thursday, Dec. 10. Health Department contact tracers will contact people if they are deemed a close contact and need to quarantine, the district stated.

Kendall also reported later in the day a second student at the Junior-Senior High School has tested positive and the Health Department will soon start contact tracing to see if there are any close contacts.

In Genesee County there are 62 new positive cases, bringing the total to 1,572 positive cases since March.

The new positive cases reside in Alabama, Alexander, Batavia, Bergen, Bethany, Byron, Darien, Elba, LeRoy, Oakfield, Pavilion and Pembroke.

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

Of the new cases, 12 are in nursing homes, including the first six cases at LeRoy Village Green Residential Healthcare Facility. There were also six new cases at Premier Genesee Center for Nursing & Rehabilitation in Batavia, and one new confirmed case at the VA Medical Center.

Genesee is reporting 33 of the previous positive individuals have recovered and been removed from the isolation list.

Genesee has 24 residents hospitalized due to complications from Covid, which is the highest its had during the pandemic.

• 3-county data (active cases increase from Tuesday): Click here to see an online map of confirmed cases in Genesee, Orleans and Wyoming counties. There are currently 446 active cases in the three counties, which is up from 417 on Tuesday. The 446 is three shy of the pandemic high of 449 on Dec. 7 and Dec. 10.

In the three counties, Genesee has 200 active cases (up from 184 active cases on Tuesday), Orleans has 137 (134 on Tuesday) and Wyoming is at 109 (99 on Tuesday).

‘We really need to buckle down.’ – Paul Pettit, public health director

ALBION – Orleans County has the highest percentage of positive cases in the Finger Lakes over the past seven days and on Monday.

And that is in a region which leads the state for the highest percentage of positive tests – 8.17 percent on Monday.

“We’re trending in the wrong direction,” Paul Pettit, the county’s public health director, told local elected officials in a conference call this evening. “We really need to buckle down.”

Orleans has had far fewer Covid cases than neighboring Genesee in recent days and weeks. But Genesee is testing a lot more people and has a lower positivity rate. That rate is one of the key indicators the state uses in determining whether an area will be designated a yellow, orange or red micro-cluster with added restrictions on businesses, schools and for gatherings.

Orleans had a 9.7 percent positivity rate on Monday and has a 9.5 percent rate the past seven days. The Finger Lakes Region has had the highest positivity rate each day among the 10 regions since Dec. 7, averaging 7 to 8 percent nearly every day.

Here are the rates among the nine counties in the region:

• Genesee: 4.9% on Monday (27 out of 555); 8.6% over 7 days
• Livingston: 6.0% on Monday (33 out of 546); 6.1% over 7 days
• Monroe: 7.9% on Monday (548 out of 6,949); 8.7% over 7 days
• Ontario: 7.6% on Monday (46 out of 602); 7.1% over 7 days
• Orleans: 9.7% on Monday (17 out of 175); 9.5% over 7 days
• Seneca: 4.4% on Monday (8 out of 181); 6.3% over 7 days
• Wayne: 6.7% on Monday (34 out of 504); 6.1% over 7 days
• Wyoming: 7.6% on Monday (19 out of 249); 7.9% over 7 days
• Yates: 3.7 % on Monday (3 out of 81); 5.6% over 7 days

The City of Batavia and an area with the Batavia zip code was designated a yellow zone on Monday by the state. That is a precautionary zone with the least restrictions of the three zones. (Orange and red are more restrictive.)

Pettit said Orleans is trending towards a micro-cluster designation. He urged the community to adhere to social distancing, wear face masks when in public buildings, stay home if showing symptoms and try to avoid social gatherings of any size.

Those gatherings are responsible for 74 percent of the Covid spread in the state, Gov. Andrew Cuomo said.

Pettit, who is also public health director in Genesee County, said the gatherings, even three or four people, are big factors in the local spread as well.

“What we know about Covid is it does a very good time of spreading in close gatherings,” Pettit said.

Many people are contracting the virus at work and then bringing it home, where it spreads to family. If friends come over, it can spread from that indoor social gathering, Pettit said.

These are the percentage of positive tests by each region the past three days.

KNOWLESVILLE – Orleans County has already had a big response to the first day of free rapid Covid testing in the county with 480 people already preregistered for the event on Wednesday from 1 to 4 p.m.

The county expects to offer the events every Wednesday until late January at the Fairgrounds. People should enter from Taylor Hill Road and then will exit on the east side of the property on Wood Road.

All of the slots for the self-administered test are full for tomorrow, and a new link will be posted on Thursday for people to sign up for the testing on Dec. 23.

The focus is for asymptomatic individuals. Genesee County has already had four of the events, with all of the slots filling up beforehand.

For both Genesee and Orleans, the Health Department advises the following guidelines:

• You must pre-register for any of the county clinics.
• If you have a printer, complete the GO Health Intake Form (click here) and bring it with you. If you completed the Intake form online please print it out and bring it with you. If you don’t have a printer, the form will be provided for you at the clinic.
• Make sure you have a pen in your vehicle.
• Everyone in the vehicle is to have their mask on when they pull up at the testing site.
• For those who are getting tested, they may get a call fairly quickly from an unknown number…please answer the phone. Staff cannot leave messages and can only give results to the individual tested or the guardian of minor children. Hard copy results will be e-mailed within 48 hours if we have a valid e-mail address.

The Genesee and Orleans County Health Departments are reporting 83 new confirmed cases of Covid-19 today for the two counties.

In Orleans County, there are 19 new positive cases of Covid for a total of 903 positive cases since March.

The new positive cases reside in Albion, Carlton, Clarendon, Kendall, Murray, Ridgeway and Yates. The individuals are in the age groups of 20s, 30s, 40s, 50s, 60s, 70s and 80s.

Five of the individuals were on mandatory quarantine prior to testing positive. Orleans also is reporting 24 of the previous positive individuals have recovered and been removed from the isolation list.

Three Orleans County residents are currently hospitalized due to complications from Covid-19.

In Genesee County, there are 64 new positive cases of Covid-19 for a total of 1,510 cases since March.

The new positive cases reside in Alabama, Alexander, Batavia, Bergen, Bethany, Byron, Elba, LeRoy, Oakfield and Pembroke.

The individuals are in the age groups of 0-19, 20s, 30s, 40s, 50s, 60s, 70s, 80s and 90s. (Three of the new positive cases are residents at Premier Genesee Center for Nursing & Rehabilitation.)

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

Genesee has 24 residents hospitalized due to Covid, the most during the pandemic.

• Health Alert – This is a new format for announcing when there is a time when the G-O Health Departments cannot contact potential close contacts. This will replace several press releases and will be reported as needed.

The Health Departments encourage all businesses and organizations to take down names/contact information and time in attendance at their business to assist with contact tracing should someone be positive for Covid-19. This may eliminate the need for a press alert if the health officials are able to contact potential close contacts.

For people at St. Paul Lutheran Church in Batavia on Dec. 6, between 10 and 11 a.m., they should monitor for symptoms of Covid-19. If the symptoms develop, contact a primary care provider to seek testing immediately and self-isolate until the test results are received.

Symptoms of Covid-19 include but are not limited to fever or chills, cough, shortness of breath or difficulty breathing, fatigue, muscle or body aches, headache, new loss of taste or smell, sore throat, congestion or runny nose, nausea or vomiting, and diarrhea.

• 3-county data (active cases increase from Monday): Click here to see an online map of confirmed cases in Genesee, Orleans and Wyoming counties. There are currently 417 active cases in the three counties, up from 409 on Monday.

Genesee has 184 active cases (173 on Monday), Orleans has 134 (132 on Monday) and Wyoming is at 99 (104 on Monday).

Press Release, VA Western New York Healthcare System

BUFFALO/BATAVIA – VA Western New York Healthcare System announced it has been selected as one of 37 VA sites to receive initial doses of the Covid-19 vaccine.

VA WNYHS was selected for its ability to vaccinate large numbers of people and store the vaccines at extremely cold temperatures.

In accordance with Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) guidance, VA Western New York Healthcare System will begin vaccinating VA health care personnel and veterans in VA’s long-term health care facilities now that the Food and Drug Administration issued an emergency use authorization for the vaccine.

Covid-19 vaccine implementation will include an initial limited-supply phase followed by a general implementation phase, when large supplies of the vaccine will be available to veterans who want to receive one. Our goal is to offer it to all veterans and employees who want to be vaccinated. As more vaccine becomes available, we will announce it to schedule appointments with eligible veterans.

“We are very excited to provide a vaccine that has the potential to help get Covid-19 under control when used alongside public health measures such as masking, physical distancing and frequent handwashing,” said Michael Swartz, Executive Director.

Veterans seeking additional information should visit the VA Coronavirus FAQs webpage. VA will provide more information to enrolled veterans when the phased mass vaccination will be scheduled.

Part of Genesee County – Batavia to East Pembroke – are now in a yellow micro-cluster zone, where there are some added restrictions intended to slow the spread of Covid-19.

Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced today that an area of Genesee County has been put in a precautionary yellow micro-cluster zone.

The area includes Batavia, East Pembroke, and goes as far north on Route 98 to near Elba, just north of Edgerton Road and south of the village. Click here to see a more detailed map.

In Genesee the cases and hospitalizations due to Covid-19 have surged since Nov. 1. As of Oct. 31, Genesee had 375 Covid-19 cases in the first eight months of the pandemic. It had 579 more in November.

In the first 13 days of December, Genesee has 492 new confirmed cases of Covid-19, and has suffered 12 deaths due to Covid. Genesee currently has 21 people hospitalized due to the virus.

The state also has expanded the Yellow Zone in Niagara County. Niagara’s Yellow zone was confined mostly to North Tonawanda, but has been expanded to include Lockport, Sanborn, and Lewiston. Click here to see the Yellow Zone map in Niagara County.

The restrictions and guidelines for the micro-cluster zones include:

Yellow

• Non-residential gatherings: 25 people maximum, indoors and outdoors
• Residential gatherings: 10 people maximum, indoors and outdoors
• Houses of worship: 50 percent of maximum capacity
• Businesses: Open
• Dining: Indoor and outdoor dining permitted but limited to a maximum of 4 people per table, and bars and restaurants close at 10 p.m. for on-premises consumption.
• Schools: Open but 20 percent weekly testing required for in-person students and faculty.

Orange

• Non-residential gatherings: 10 people maximum, indoors and outdoors
• Residential gatherings: 10 people maximum, indoors and outdoors
• Houses of worship: Lesser of 33% of maximum capacity or 25 people
• Businesses: Gyms, fitness centers and classes operate at 25% capacity; barber shops, hair salons, personal care services can provide services so long as employees performing services are tested for COVID-19 on a weekly basis.
• Dining: Gyms, fitness centers and classes operate at 25% capacity; barber shops, hair salons, personal care services can provide services so long as employees performing services are tested for COVID-19 on a weekly basis.
• Schools: Closed to remote-only but can reopen if they follow new guidelines that require mass testing in schools before they reopen followed by vigilant symptom and exposure screening conducted daily.

Red

• Non-residential gatherings: prohibited
• Residential gatherings: prohibited
• Houses of worship: Lesser of 25% of maximum capacity or 10 people
• Businesses: Non-essential businesses are closed
• Dining: Takeout or delivery only
• Schools: Closed to remote-only but can reopen if they follow new guidelines that require mass testing in schools before they reopen followed by vigilant symptom and exposure screening conducted daily.

2 deaths due to Covid also reported in Genesee

The Genesee and Orleans County Health Departments are reporting 164 new confirmed cases of Covid-19 in the two counties since the last update on Friday afternoon.

In Orleans County, there are 55 new cases since Friday, bringing the county’s total to 884 cases since March.

The new positive cases are residents of Albion, Barre, Carlton, Clarendon, Gaines, Kendall, Murray, Ridgeway and Shelby. The individuals are in the age groups of 0-19, 20s, 30s, 40s, 50s, 60s, 70s and 80s.

Of the new cases, 16 were on mandatory quarantine prior to testing positive. The county is also reporting 67 of the previous positive individuals have recovered and been removed from the isolation list.

In Orleans, 4 of the current positive individuals are hospitalized.

Albion Central School was notified today that three high school students and one elementary student tested positive for Covid-19 over the weekend. Two of the high school students learn remotely while the third high schooler and elementary student are both hybrid learners, the district said.

The last day the hybrid students were in school was Tuesday, Dec. 8. Contact tracing and the quarantine of students and staff members was implemented according to Health Department guidelines.

Medina Central School notified the community that six students have tested positive since the last update on Friday, which includes four in the high school, one in the middle school and one in the elementary school.

The four in the high school were on precautionary quarantine and the Health Department has determined no further quarantines are required from school contract, District Superintendent Mark Kruzynski said in a letter to the community today.

The middle school student also was on precautionary quarantine, and the elementary student is 100 percent remote learning. No further quarantines are needed with both students and their school contacts, Kruzynski said.

In Genesee County, there are 109 new positive cases of Covid-19 since Friday, bringing the Genesee total to 1,446 positive cases since March.

The new positive cases reside in Alabama, Alexander, Batavia, Bergen, Bethany, Byron, Darien, Elba, LeRoy, Oakfield, Pavilion and Pembroke.

The individuals are in the age groups of 0-19, 20s, 30s, 40s, 50s, 60s, 70s, 80s and 90s. (Of the new cases 13 are residents at the New York State Veterans Home in Batavia.)

Genesee is reporting 97 of the previous positive individuals have recovered and been removed from the isolation list.

Genesee has 21 residents hospitalized due to Covid, according to the news briefing from the Health Departments.

Genesee also was notified of 2 deaths of community members due from Covid. One of the individuals was over age 65 and the other was under 65.

“To protect the individual and their family we will not be releasing any further information,” the G-O Health Departments said. “We express our deepest condolences to the family and friends of this community member during this very difficult time.”

Genesee has now had 12 residents die from Covid in December and 19 since March.

• Yellow Micro-Cluster Zone: Batavia and part of Genesee County have been designated as a being in a Yellow micro-cluster zone. The state hasn’t updated the map yet. Click here to be directed to the state website on micro-cluster zones.

The following restrictions are now in place in these identified locations:

• for non-residential gatherings – 25 people maximum, indoors and outdoors
• residential gatherings – 10 people maximum, indoors and outdoors
• House of Worship – 50% of maximum capacity
• Businesses are open
• Dining indoor and outdoor dining permitted with 4 person maximum per table, and bars and restaurants close at 10:00 p.m. for on-premises consumption
• Schools are open with 20% weekly testing of in-person students and faculty.

”We continue to encourage everyone whether located in a micro-cluster zone or not to limit gatherings as much as possible, properly wear masks/face coverings, social distance at least 6 feet, frequently wash/sanitize your hands and frequently shared surfaces to minimize the spread,” the G-O Health Departments said. “If the rates continue to increase further restrictions are possible.”

• Health Alert – This is a new format for announcing when there is a time when the G-O Health Departments cannot contact potential close contacts. This will replace several press releases and will be reported as needed.

We encourage all businesses to take down names/contact information and time in attendance at their business to assist with contact tracing should someone be positive for Covid-19. This may eliminate the need for a press alert if we are able to contact potential close contacts.):

For people at the three locations above during the stated times, they should monitor for symptoms of Covid-19. If the symptoms develop, contact a primary care provider to seek testing immediately and self-isolate until the test results are received.

Symptoms of Covid-19 include but are not limited to fever or chills, cough, shortness of breath or difficulty breathing, fatigue, muscle or body aches, headache, new loss of taste or smell, sore throat, congestion or runny nose, nausea or vomiting, and diarrhea.

• 3-county data (active cases decline): Click here to see an online map of confirmed cases in Genesee, Orleans and Wyoming counties. There are currently 409 active cases in the three counties, which is down from 443 on Friday.

Genesee has 173 actives cases, Orleans has 132 and Wyoming is at 104.