Genesee also has 3 more deaths, for 8 so far in December

Orleans and Genesee counties are reporting 162 new confirmed cases of Covid-19 since Friday, with Genesee also reporting three more deaths, according to a news briefing from the Genesee and Orleans County Health Departments.

Orleans County has 32 new positive cases of Covid-19 for a total of 718 positive cases since March.

The new positive cases reside in all 10 towns in the county: Albion, Barre, Carlton, Clarendon, Gaines, Kendall, Murray, Yates, Ridgeway and Shelby.

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

The county also had 20 of the previous positive individuals recover and be removed from the isolation list.

Orleans has 9 residents hospitalized due to Covid, which is up from 8 on Friday and 6 on Thursday.

• 2 Albion staff members test positive for Covid-19. The school district announced this afternoon it was notified today that the staff members tested positive over the weekend. One of the staff members works in the high school and the other works in district office.

Contact tracing and the quarantine of students and staff members was implemented according to health department guidelines, the district said.

• Lyndonville Central School was notified that a staff member tested positive for Covid-19. The staff member hasn’t been on campus since Friday, December 4, according to a letter on the school website.

The district has communicated with the Health Department. Lyndonville parents will be notified if their child is deemed a “close contact” and what directions to follow.

• Medina Central School said it has had three new positive cases reported to the district. A high school student who is 100 percent remote tested positive. No school-related quarantines are necessary, the district said.

A middle school student also tested positive who was on mandatory quarantine poor to onset of symptoms. The Health Department determined on further school-related quarantines are necessary.

A transportation employee also tested positive. The district and Health Department are working to identify contacts of the individual and will notify people who need to quarantine, according to a letter from the district.

In Genesee County, there 130 new positive cases of Covid-19 for a total of 1,216 positive cases since March.

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

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

Of the new cases, two are residents at The Grand Rehabilitation and Nursing at Batavia, one is a resident at the NYS Veteran’s Home, and one is at the VA Medical Center.

Genesee also is reporting that 38 of the previous positive individuals have recovered and been removed from the isolation list.

Genesee has 20 people hospitalized due to Covid, up from 15 on Friday.

Genesee also was notified that three residents have died of Covid. One is a resident at The Grand Rehabilitation and Nursing at Batavia. Two of the deaths were community members. All three individuals were over the age of 65.

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

The three deaths bring that total to eight in December in Genesee County and 15 during the pandemic.

• 3-County Data: Click here to see an online map of confirmed cases in the three rural counties of Genesee, Orleans and Wyoming. There are currently 449 active cases in the three counties, with 269 in Genesee, 89 in Orleans and 91 in Wyoming. That is up from 370 in the three counties on Friday.

Press Release, Genesee and Orleans County Health Departments

BATAVIA – The Genesee and Orleans County Health Departments have received a positive Covid-19 test result from an individual who was at Sport of Kings in Batavia on:

• Monday, November 30^th, from 2 to 8 p.m.
• Tuesday, December 1^st, from 2 to 8 p.m.

Contact tracing is in progress, However, unidentified individuals may have unknowingly been in contact with the positive cases.

We advise all individuals who were at Sport of Kings on the stated dates and times to monitor their symptoms for 14 days. If symptoms of Covid-19 develop, contact your primary care provider to seek testing immediately and self-isolate until you receive your test results.

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.

Press Release, Genesee County Health Department

BATAVIA – The Genesee County Health Department has received a positive Covid-19 test from an individual who was at Applebee’s Grill + Bar in Batavia on Friday, Nov. 27, from noon to 2 p.m.

Contact tracing is in progress. However, unidentified individuals may have unknowingly been in contact with the positive case.

We advise all individuals who were at Applebee’s on Nov. 27 between noon and 2 p.m. to monitor their symptoms for 14 days (until Dec. 11).

If symptoms of Covid-19 develop, contact your primary care provider to seek testing immediately and self-isolate until you receive your test results.

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.

Orleans, Genesee and Wyoming had more than 1,000 cases combined last month

This graph from the health departments in Genesee, Orleans and Wyoming counties shows how the cases have surged in the past month. Click here to see a detailed chart on cases in the three counties.

The number of Covid cases in the three local rural counties of Orleans, Genesee and Wyoming counties soared in November, with the combined total of 1,133 new cases topping that the first eight months of the Covid-19 pandemic.

The three counties, from March through October, had 975 Covid cases combined. At the end of November, the combined cases was at 2,108.

Orleans had been the most hard hit by Covid through October, driven by an outbreak in the spring at two nursing homes, which combined had 147 cases by late June. In Late October, Orleans had the most of the three counties with 399 cases, followed by 375 in Genesee and 201 in Wyoming.

But the cases have really taken off in Genesee in November and so far in December. Genesee reported 575 new cases in November, with 132 more the first four days of December.

Wyoming also has more in November than in the previous eight months, with 330 new cases in November, compared to the 201.

Orleans didn’t see as much of an increase as Genesee and Wyoming last month, but the 224 new cases is still the most in a month for Orleans. Although the cases are on the rise in Orleans, the severity isn’t as bad as in the spring and early summer, when the county suffered 55 deaths from Covid, including 54 in nursing homes. Orleans has now had 58 residents die from Covid through the first nine months of the pandemic, by far more than Genesee and Wyoming.

Wyoming has suffered eight deaths while Genesee was at seven the end of November, but has added five more so far in December.

Here is a monthly breakdown of the Covid cases and deaths in the three counties.

Orleans County (population: 40,352)

First case reported on March 18.

March – 6 cases, 0 deaths (6 cumulative cases, 0 deaths)

April – 89 cases, 11 deaths (95 cumulative, 11 deaths)

May –  126 cases, 25 deaths (221 cumulative, 36 deaths)

June – 45 cases, 18 deaths (266 cumulative, 54 deaths)

July – 10 cases, 1 death (276 cumulative, 55 deaths)

August – 12 cases, 0 deaths (288 cumulative, 55 deaths)

September – 29 cases, 0 deaths (317 cumulative, 55 deaths)

October – 82 cases, 0 deaths (399 cumulative, 55 deaths)

November – 224 cases, 2 deaths (623 cases cumulative, 57 deaths)

(The county is now up to 686 cases with 63 cases reported first four days of December, plus one more death.)

Genesee County (population: 57,280)

First case reported on March 17

March – 13 cases, 1 death (13 cumulative cases, 1 death)

April – 136 cases, 2 deaths (149 cumulative, 3 deaths)

May – 37 cases, 1 death (186 cumulative, 4 deaths)

June – 40 cases, 1 death (224 cumulative, 5 deaths)

July – 32 cases, 0 deaths (256 cumulative, 5 deaths)

August – 23 cases, 0 deaths (279 cumulative, 5 deaths)

September – 30 cases, 0 deaths (309 cumulative, 5 deaths)

October – 66 cases, 0 deaths (375 cumulative, 5 deaths)

November – 579 cases, 2 deaths (954 cumulative, 7 deaths)

(There are now 1,086 cases with 132 the first four days of December, plus five additional deaths.)

Wyoming County (population: 40,085)

First case reported March 17.

March – 8 cases, 1 death (8 cases cumulative, 1 death)

April – 60 cases 4 deaths (68 cases cumulative, 5 deaths)

May – 12 cases, 0 deaths (80 cases cumulative, 5 deaths)

June – 9 cases, 0 deaths (89 cumulative, 5 deaths)

July – 18 cases, 0 deaths (107 cases cumulative, 5 deaths)

August – 12 cases, 0 deaths (120 cases cumulative, 5 deaths)

September – 12 cases, 0 deaths (132 cases cumulative, 5 deaths)

October – 69 cases, 0 deaths (201 cases cumulative, 5 deaths)

November – 330 cases, 3 deaths (531 cases cumulative – including 87 inmates in state prisons – 8 deaths)

(There are now 642 cases with 111 in first four days of December.)

Source: Orleans Hub research, local health departments for cases and deaths, Census Bureau 2019 estimates for population

Health Dept. reports 3 deaths at nursing home in Batavia

There are 74 new confirmed Covid cases in Genesee and Orleans counties reported today. There also have been three deaths in Genesee County due to Covid, the Genesee and Orleans County Health Departments said.

In Orleans County, there are 24 new positive cases of Covid, bringing the total to 686 cases since March.

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

Three of the individuals were on mandatory quarantine prior to testing positive, the Health Departments reported.

Six of the previous positive individuals have recovered and been removed from the isolation list.

Orleans also is reporting that eight residents are hospitalized from Covid, up from six on Thursday.

• Albion Central School officials were notified today that a staff member in the elementary school has tested positive for Covid-19. The Health Department has completed contact tracing for the staff member and determined there is no need to quarantine staff or students, the district stated on its website.

• Medina Central School also is reporting a student in the high school tested positive for Covid. That student hasn’t been in the school building in more than three weeks.

An elementary student also tested positive who was last in the school building on Nov. 30. “Everyone who will be placed on quarantine due to school contacts has been notified, although the Department of Health may reach out to others if they determine that any potential exposure has occurred outside of the school,” Mark Kruzynski, the district superintendent, wrote in a letter to the community today.

In Genesee County, there are 50 new positive cases of COVID-19 for a total of 1,086 cases since March.

The new positive cases reside in Alexander, Batavia, Bergen, 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.

Of the new cases, 15 are residents at The Grand Rehabilitation and Nursing in Batavia. The Health Departments today are also reporting that three residents at The Grand have died from Covid, with two over age 65 and one under 65.

“We express our deepest condolences to the family and friends of these community members during this very difficult time,” the Health Departments stated in a news briefing.

Genesee also is reporting 29 of the previous positive individuals have recovered and been removed from the isolation list.

Genesee has 15 residents hospitalized with Covid.

In the past nine days, since Nov. 25, Genesee has 259 new confirmed cases, from 827 to 1,086, and six more deaths.

In Orleans, there are 99 more cases, up from 587 to 686, since last Wednesday (Nov. 25) and one more death.

• 3-County Data: To see an online map of confirmed cases in Genesee, Orleans and Wyoming counties, click here. There are currently 370 active cases in the three counties with 183 in Genesee, 77 in Orleans and 110 in Wyoming.

• Statewide Data: Of the 208,297 tests reported yesterday, 11,271 were positive (5.41% of total). That compares to 9,855 positive tests on Wednesday (4.84% of total). A week ago, the state reported 8,176 positive tests or 3.72% of the total.

“Our largest two problems right now are the 70 percent spread in households and small gatherings, aggregated by the holiday season, and lack of compliance with restrictions,” Gov. Andrew Cuomo said. “It’s driven by social fatigue, social resentment, social noncompliance and lack of government enforcement. If people don’t follow the restrictions, you’re going to see an increase.

Cuomo today reported the total hospitalizations from Covid are at 4,222, compared to 4,063 the previous day and 3,103 a week ago.

Cuomo today also announced that 20 million Covid-19 test results have been reported to New York State since the pandemic began.

“There are capacity and protocol restrictions in bars, restaurants and gyms,” Cuomo said. “The lack of compliance is a problem and I need the local governments to enforce those restrictions. I understand Covid fatigue and that people are resentful of these regulations, but if you don’t enforce the restrictions, and if the restrictions are violated, then they’re pointless. They have to be enforced. New York State has one of the nation’s lowest infection rates and the vaccine—the weapon that ends the war—is on the way. The question is how long it will take.”

• Rapid Testing: Genesee County will be hosting 2 rapid testing clinics on Dec. 8 and Dec. 10 from 1 to 4 p.m. The focus is for asymptomatic individuals and is free.

This is a self-administered rapid test at the Genesee County Emergency Management Office & Fire Training Facility, 7690 State Street Rd. in the Town of Batavia. To schedule a test, please register on-line (click here). Anyone needing additional help for online registration may contact the Genesee County Health Department at 585-344-2580 ext. 5555. To help the process please not the following guidelines:

• If you completed the form online, please print it out and bring it with you.
• 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…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.

Orleans County will be holding a rapid testing clinic on Dec. 16. More details to come.

Press Release, Orleans County Health Department

MEDINA – The Orleans County Health Department has received a positive Covid-19 test result from an individual who was at Mariachi De Oro in Medina on:

• Wednesday, December 2^nd, from 3 to 8 p.m.
• Thursday, December 3^rd, from 11 a.m. to noon.

Contact tracing is in progress. However, unidentified individuals may have unknowingly been in contact with the positive cases.

We advise all individuals who were at Mariachi De Oro on the stated dates and times to monitor their symptoms for 14 days. If symptoms of Covid-19 develop, contact your primary care provider to seek testing immediately and self-isolate until you receive your test results.

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.

(Editor’s Note: Mariachi has closed its dining room for about two weeks and will be doing take-out orders only until the dining room reopens.)

Press Release, Genesee County Health Department

BATAVIA – The Genesee County Health Department has received multiple positive Covid-19 test results from individuals who were at Eli Fish in Batavia on Wednesday, November 25^th, from 6 p.m. to 8:45 p.m.

Contact tracing is in progress. However, unidentified individuals may have

unknowingly been in contact with the positive cases.

We advise all individuals who were at Eli Fish on the stated date and time to monitor symptoms for 14 days. If symptoms of Covid-19 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.

Genesee reports a death from Covid at Grand Rehabilitation and Nursing in Batavia

Orleans and Genesee counties today are reporting 53 new confirmed cases of Covid-19 in the two counties.

In Orleans, there are 21 new cases, bringing the county’s total to 662 positive cases since March.

The new positive cases reside in Albion, Barre, Gaines, Murray, Yates, Ridgeway and Shelby. The individuals are in the age groups of 0-19, 20s, 30s, 40s, 50s, 60s, 70s, 80s and 90s.

None of the individuals were on mandatory quarantine prior to testing positive, the Genesee and Orleans County Health Departments said in an afternoon news briefing.

Two of the new cases are residents of Orchard Rehabilitation & Nursing Center in Medina, the first new cases there since June. Orchard had 58 of its residents test positive for Covid during the spring surge.

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

Six county residents are currently hospitalized due to Covid-19.

In Genesee County, there are 32 new positive cases of Covid for a total of 1,036 cases since March.

The new positive cases reside in Alabama, Alexander, Batavia, Bethany, Elba, Le Roy, Oakfield, Pavilion, Pembroke, and Stafford.

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

One of the new positive individuals is a resident at The Grand Rehabilitation and Nursing at Batavia. The Health Departments also said one of the previously reported individuals at the VA Medical Center is not a current patient and has been removed from the facility count.

The county also is reporting 32 of the previous positive individuals have recovered and been removed from the isolation list.

In Genesee, there are 16 residents hospitalized from Covid, up from 13 the previous day.

A resident of The Grand Rehabilitation and Nursing at Batavia also has died after contracting Covid-19. The resident is over the age of 65. This is the ninth Genesee resident to die from Covid.

• 3-County Data: Click here to see an online map of confirmed cases in Genesee, Orleans and Wyoming counties. There are currently 327 active cases in the three counties, up from 297 on Wednesday. The active cases today include 177 in Genesee, 59 in Orleans and 91 in Wyoming.

• Statewide Data: Of the 203,440 tests reported yesterday, 9,855 were positive or 4.84% of total. That is up from 8,973 new positive cases on Tuesday or 4.63% of total.

The total hospitalizations were at 4,063 on Wednesday, which was up from 3,924 on Tuesday.

Details still need to be worked out for location, time

ALBION – Orleans County will offer free rapid Covid-19 tests on Dec. 16, Public Health Director Paul Pettit announced today during a County Legislature meeting.

County officials have been pressing the state for a free testing option in the county for several months. Right now, Orleans residents need to travel out-of-county for a free testing site.

Pettit said the limited testing in rural areas has proven a “big barrier” in helping to quickly identify who has Covid and to contain the spread.

“This has been an ongoing issue for us,” Pettit said in a meeting through Zoom video conferencing. “We continue to push and advocate for this.”

The free testing event on Dec. 16 will be for people who are asymptomatic. The time and location still needs to be worked out.

Genesee County will offer a free drive-through rapid testing for Covid on Thursday from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. at the Genesee County Emergency Management Office & Fire Training Facility, 7690 State Street Rd. in the Town of Batavia.

Pwettit said the details of the rapid testing in Orleans should be announced next week. He wants it to be a reoccurring event and not just limited to Dec. 16.

“I know this is long awaited,” he said. “Hopefully it will be a big benefit to our residents.”

New confirmed cases today include 44 in Genesee, 9 in Orleans

Orleans and Genesee counties today both are reporting a death from Covid-19. In Orleans, the death is a person over 65 while Genesee had a person pass away under age 65, according to a news briefing this afternoon from the Genesee and Orleans County Health Departments.

Orleans has now had 58 people die due a Covid-related illness while Genesee has had eight deaths.

In Orleans County there are 9 new confirmed cases of Covid-19 today, bringing the county’s total to 641 positive cases since March.

The new positive cases reside in Albion, Barre, Carlton, Kendall, Murray and Shelby. The individuals are in the age groups of 30s, 40s, 50s, 60s, 70s, 80s and 90s.

None of the individuals were on mandatory quarantine prior to testing positive, the Health Departments reported.

Orleans also has had three of the previous positive individuals recover and be removed

from the isolation list.

Five residents of Orleans are currently hospitalized due to Covid.

In Genesee County, there are 44 new positive cases of Covid-19 for a total of 1,004 positive cases since March. Of the new cases, 16 are residents at The Grand Rehabilitation and Nursing in Batavia.

The new positive cases reside in Alexander, Batavia, Byron, Le Roy, Oakfield and Pembroke. The individuals are in the age groups of 0-19, 20s, 30s, 40s, 50s, 60s 70s, 80s and 90s.

Genesee also reports that 57 of the previous positive individuals have recovered and been removed from the isolation list.

Genesee has 13 residents hospitalized due to Covid, the Health Department reported.

• 3-county data: Click here to see an online map of confirmed cases in Genesee, Orleans and Wyoming counties. There are currently 297 active Covid cases with 177 in Genesee, 42 in Orleans and 78 in Wyoming. A week ago on Nov. 25 there were 315 active cases in the three counties with 221 in Genesee, 41 in Orleans and 53 in Wyoming.

• Statewide data: There were 8,973 new positive cases reported yesterday out of 193,551 tests for a positive rate of 4.63. The positive testing rate in all focus areas under the state’s Micro-Cluster strategy is 5.88 percent, and outside the focus zone areas is 4.21 percent.

The number of people hospitalized with Covid-related illnesses increased by 150 to 3,924. There were 742 Covid patients in the ICU, up by 24, and 373 needed to be intubated, up by 25. There were 69 deaths due to Covid, bringing the state’s total to 26,889 during the pandemic.

Western New York continues to have the highest rate of positive tests in the state. Orleans County is in the Finger Lakes Region which has the second highest rate.

ALBION – The public health director in Genesee and Orleans counties said he is concerned by the increasing number of being hospitalized with Covid-19.

Paul Pettit

That is the reality in the two counties, statewide and nationally, said Paul Pettit, public health director for the two counties.

Genesee currently has 12 people hospitalized due to Covid, while Orleans has six. In Orleans County, there are currently 37 active Covid cases and six are in the hospital. That 16 percent is a high percentage of people with severe symptoms after getting Covid, Pettit told elected officials in Orleans County during a Zoom conference call on Tuesday.

In Genesee the 12 people hospitalized are out of 207 active cases or 6 percent.

“It is troubling, the severity of the cases,” Pettit said. “We are seeing people with more challenging symptoms.”

During the summer and early fall, Pettit said most of the local Covid cases were people who were asymptomatic or who had mild symptoms.

“Now we’re seeing a significant increase in hospitalizations,” Pettit said.

The hospitalizations have been rising fast in the state. They were at 3,774 on Monday. That’s up from the 1,151 on Nov. 1, and 2,124 on Nov. 16. The state passed 3,000 on Nov. 25 with 3,056.

Nationally, there are about 100,000 people hospitalized with Covid, the most during the pandemic. On Nov. 11, the U.S. had 60,000 people hospitalized with Covid.

Free tests for people who are asymptomatic, but may have been exposed to Covid

BATAVIA – Genesee County will offer residents, who are asymptomatic with free drive-thru Covid-19 self-administered rapid testing on Thursday.

The free testing will be offered from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. at the Genesee County Emergency Management Office & Fire Training Facility, 7690 State Street Rd. in the Town of Batavia.

For anyone with a recent potential exposure to Covid-19, it is not recommended to be tested until at least 5 days have passed since the exposure. Anyone with any cold or flu-like symptoms, even if mild, will not be eligible for this test, and neither will any others arriving in their car.

This is for people without symptoms or who are not feeling sick.

Those interested in scheduling a test must register on-line (click here). Anyone needing additional help for online registration may contact the Genesee County Health Department at 585-344-2580 ext. 5555.

“It is very important to note that this testing is not for residents who are experiencing symptoms,” said Paul Pettit, public health director in Genesee and Orleans counties. “Those individuals should be contacting their physician to discuss treatment and testing options. Given the surge of infections in the county, it’s important that we identify those who are infected that may not be demonstrating any symptoms and in fact are feeling fine.”

At the drive-through site, a staff member for the testing center will offer guidance for residents to administer their own self-test by using a cotton swab. Each person in a vehicle will self-administer their own test. If there is a minor in the car, an adult in the vehicle will be asked to administer the test. People will then drive off and will be contacted via phone with the results, with option for these results to be emailed as well.

“If a person who is asymptomatic tests positive for the virus, he or she will need to be in isolation for a minimum of 10 days,” Pettit said.  “While this might discourage people from getting tested, we need to work together as a community to reduce the surge, plus someone who is asymptomatic can still infect a loved one who is not.”

Pettit said he expects additional rapid testing opportunities in the near future in Genesee and Orleans counties.

The Genesee and Orleans County Health Departments are reporting 9 new confirmed cases of Covid-19 in Orleans and 8 in Genesee.

However, the number in Genesee is likely higher. Genesee is listed by the local health department as 960 total cases since March, but the state has the number of cases in Genesee at 1,041.

“Our goal is to make sure the data provided to our communities is as accurate as possible. In order to provide accurate numbers, case investigations include contacting the individuals, of which some are not county residents,” the Health Departments said in a news briefing this evening. “This will show discrepancies between the local numbers and the state numbers. The numbers reported are those cases we have accurate data and have had contact with the individual and all their subsequent contacts.”

In Orleans County, the 9 new positive cases bring the total to 632 confirmed cases since March. The new positive cases reside Barre, Clarendon, Murray, Ridgeway and Shelby.

The individuals are in the age groups of 0-19, 30s, 40s, 50s and 60s. One of the individuals was on mandatory quarantine prior to testing positive.

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

The Health Department also said one of the new positive cases was recovered prior to the department receiving the test results and is being included in the recovered data.

The number of hospitalizations increased to 6. On Friday, there were two Orleans residents hospitalized due to Covid-19.

In Genesee County, the new cases are in the age groups of 0-19, 20s, 30s, 40s, 50s, 60s, 70s and 80s.

Genesee has also had 126 of the previous positive individuals recover and be removed from the isolation list.

One of the individuals identified at The Grand Rehabilitation and Nursing at

Batavia and one of the individuals identified at the Batavia VA Medical Center have been identified as out-of-county residents and have been removed from the Genesee facility and total count.

Genesee currently has 12 residents hospitalized due to Covid-19.

Message from the G-O Health Departments: We can’t stress enough the importance to limit time with non-household members. Continue to do your best to limit the spread of Covid-19 and the flu by frequently washing/sanitizing your hands, wearing a mask/face-covering over your mouth and nose when out in public and keeping at least 6 feet from non-household members.

If you are not feeling well, please stay home and contact your primary care provider for guidance.

Orleans reports 37 more recoveries from Covid; Genesee also reports a death from Covid

In its first update since Wednesday in local Covid-19 cases, The Genesee and Orleans County Health Departments reported 127 new cases in Genesee and 36 new confirmed cases in Orleans.

“Due to the high number of cases from the long weekend we are finalizing the data and will have it updated along with the charts tomorrow,” the Health Departments said in a new briefing at 5 p.m. today.

In Orleans, the 36 new cases bring the total to 623 positive cases since March. The new positive cases reside in Albion, Barre, 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.

Three of the individuals were on mandatory quarantine prior to testing positive.

Orleans also is reporting 37 more recoveries and they have been removed from the isolation list. In addition, three of the new positive cases were recovered prior to the Health Department receiving the test results and are included in the recovered data.

Orleans also is reporting one of new positive cases is an inmate at the Albion Correctional Facility, a women’s prison.

• 2 students, 1 staff member test positive at Albion Central School: The school district said that today it was informed that two students and one staff member tested positive for Covid-19 over Thanksgiving break. One of the students is learning 100 percent remotely while the other is a hybrid learner in the elementary school. The staff member works in the middle school.

The hybrid student was last in school on Tuesday, Nov. 17, the district said. Due to the 48-hour look-back period, the Department of Health determined there is no need to conduct contact tracing in school for either student, according to message from the district.

The Health Department has completed contact tracing for the staff member and has communicated with any close contacts.

• Lyndonville staff member tests positive: The Lyndonville school district reported on Saturday that a staff member has tested positive for Covid-19. The staff member was last on campus on Nov. 16. As a result of precautionary measures, we have identified no close contacts as a result of this positive case, and therefore there is no need for any quarantine or remote learning, District Superintendent Jason Smith said.

• Medina reports 2 students, 3 staff members test positive: Medina Central School today notified the community that two students and three staff members have tested positive for Covid-19. That includes a student and staff member in the high school, two staff members in the middle school and one student in the elementary school.

The district is working with the Health Department to determine the the quarantine needs of the school. That includes one classroom section in the middle school and one classroom section in the elementary school being on quarantine.

In Genesee County, the 127 new positive cases of Covid bring the total to 954 since March. Complete details of the new cases will be included in tomorrow’s press briefing, the Health Departments said.

Of the new cases, 15 are residents at The Grand Rehabilitation and Nursing at Batavia and 7 are from the Batavia VA Medical Center.

Genesee is reporting that 12 of the current positive individuals are hospitalized.

Genesee County also had a resident pass away from Covid, bringing the total deaths from Covid in the county to 7. The individual was over the age of 65.

“To protect the individual’s privacy we will not be reporting any further information,” according to the news release from the Health Departments. “Our deepest condolences to this person’s family and friends on their loss during this very difficult time.”

More from the Genesee & Orleans County Health Departments:

Business Reminder: It is important to periodically review your Business Safety Plan that was developed earlier on in the pandemic. As part of the plan businesses were encouraged to develop contact sheets for all patrons to assist with contact tracing in the event of a potential Covid-19 exposure. This will help in investigations and will limit the necessity of press releases which will help limit potential spread.

Situational Update: We can’t stress enough the importance to limit time with non-household members. Continue to do your best to limit the spread of Covid-19 and the flu by frequently washing/sanitizing your hands, wear a mask/face-covering over your mouth and nose when out in public and keep at least 6 feet from non-household members. If you are not feeling well, please stay home and contact your primary care provider for guidance.

Genesee County has one of the highest positive rates for Covid tests in the state in the past week, according to data from the state.

Genesee’s rate of 6.8 percent in the past seven days is topped only by the 7.3 percent in Allegany County and 7.0 percent in Erie County.

Orleans County’s positive rate is about half of Genesee’s in the past week at 3.3 percent.

There are several counties with positivity rates at 5 percent or more in the past week (with the county’s region in parentheses): Cortland (Central NY), 6.4 percent; Oswego (Central NY), 5.1 percent; Monroe (Finger Lakes), 5.7 percent; Wyoming (Finger Lakes), 5.7 percent; Orange (Mid-Hudson), 5.1 percent; Putnam (Mid-Hudson), 6.5 percent; Chemung (Southern Tier), 6.0 percent, Cattaraugus (WNY), 6.4 percent and Niagara (WNY), 6.3 percent.

To see more information on the data from the state, click here.

So far Genesee hasn’t been designated in a focus zone that can result in more restrictions on gathering sizes, and reduced capacity for businesses. Schools also would need to test 20 percent of students and staff weekly in a yellow zone or go to remote instruction in an orange or red zone.

TIER 3: Genesee, with a population over 50,000 and less than 150,000, is listed in the tier 3 by the state for metrics for determining the focus zones.

Here are the criteria from the state for Tier 3 counties in the three different focus zones:

Yellow: Geographic area has 7-day rolling average positivity above 3.5% for 10 days and the geographic area has 15 or more new daily cases per 100,000 residents on 7-day average

Orange: Geographic area has 7-day rolling average positivity above 4.5% for 10 days and the geographic area has 15 or more new daily cases per 100,000 residents on 7-day average.

Red: Geographic area has 7-day rolling average positivity above 5.5% for 10 days and the geographic area has 15 or more new daily cases per 100,000 residents on 7-day average.

TIER 4: Orleans is considered a Tier 4 county (population less than 50,000). The metrics for the focus zones in Tier 4 include:

Yellow: Geographic area has 7-day rolling average positivity above 4% for 10 days and the geographic area has 15 or more new daily cases per 100,000 residents on 7-day average.

Orange: Geographic area has 7-day rolling average positivity above 5% for 10 days and the geographic area has 15 or more new daily cases per 100,000 residents on 7-day average

Red: Geographic area has 7-day rolling average positivity above 6% for 10 days and the geographic area has 15 or more new daily cases per 100,000 residents on 7-day average.

The state also is considering other factors in a focus zone:

• The geographic areas have a minimum of 5 new cases per day on 7-day average for geographic areas (i.e. ZIP code) with 10,000 or more residents, minimum of 3 new cases on 7-day average per day for areas with less than 10,000 residents.
• The increase in positive cases or positivity reflect community spread and cannot be mostly explained by a cluster in a single institution (e.g. nursing home, factory, college, etc.) or household transmission.
• The State Department of Health, in consultation with the local department of health, finds that based on the above listed metrics, and other epidemiological factors, such as an upward trend in total and daily hospital admissions from residents of this geographic area, that a zone designation is appropriate.