Orleans reports 25 more recoveries for people who had Covid

Orleans County has three new confirmed cases of Covid-19 today, which pushes the county past 400 total cases since March.

The new positive cases reside in Albion, Barre and Murray. The individuals are in the age groups of 0-19, 30s and 60s.

The individuals were not on mandatory quarantine prior to testing positive, the Genesee and Orleans County Health Departments said this afternoon.

There are also 7 new individuals on precautionary quarantine due to travel from restricted states.

The county also has 25 more recoveries from Covid-19 and those people have been removed from the isolation list.

One Orleans resident remains hospitalized due to Covid.

In Genesee County there are 6 new positive cases of Covid-19 and has now had 381 positive cases.

The new positive cases reside in Batavia, Bergen, Elba, LeRoy, Oakfield and Pavilion. The individuals are either in their 30s, 50s or 60s.

One of the individuals was on mandatory quarantine prior to testing positive, the Health Departments reported.

There are 16 new individuals are on precautionary quarantine due to travel from restricted states.

Genesee also is reporting 16 of the previous positive individuals have recovered and have been removed from the isolation list.

Genesee also has 1 person hospitalized due to Covid.

To see an online map of the confirmed cases in Genesee, Orleans and Wyoming counties, click here. There are currently 44 active case sin the three counties with 21 in Genesee, 12 in Orleans and 11 in Wyoming.

• Notice from the Health Departments: Due to Election Day there will be no press briefing, no update on the map, nor on the respective county websites. Updates will resume on Wednesday.

• State-wide Data: The statewide positivity rate is 1.70 percent with the positive testing rate in all Focus Zone areas at 3.50 percent. The positivity outside all Focus Zone areas is 1.48 percent.

Within the focus areas, 10,503 test results were reported yesterday, yielding 368 positives. In the remainder of the state, not counting these focus areas, 85,598 test results were reported, yielding 1,265 positives.

“New York is in the midst of a sea of division and a national Covid surge,” said Gov. Andrew Cuomo. “All around us, the Covid infection rate is going up. You see it in states all across the nation, in countries around the globe, and in contiguous states. So we should be on high alert and we should be even more diligent, because the virus spreads across state boundaries, and we’re in the party season.”

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Dr. Khurrum Sanaullah

MEDINA – A pediatrician in Orleans County is expressing his concern regarding the upcoming flu season and some parents’ decision not to have their children vaccinated.

Dr. Khurrum Sanaullah joined Rochester Regional Health in April and is affiliated with United Memorial Medical Center and Orleans Community Health. He offers pediatric services at Medina Family Medicine on Ohio Street and Batavia Pediatrics.

Dr. Sanaullah recently gave a Zoom videoconference on his concern about a recent poll which found that one out of three parents do not plan to have their child vaccinated for the flu. Further, the poll revealed that only one out of three parents believe it is more important for their child to get the flu vaccine this year, compared to past years.

The two major contributing reasons revealed in the study indicate parents are keeping their kids away from health care sites during Covid-19; and parents are concerned due to misinformation about side effects and the effectiveness of the vaccine.

Dr. Sanaullah states it is even more important this year for children to get a flu shot because of the pandemic. He adds, the best time to have the flu shot is now.

He said the flu vaccine does not cause any serious side effects, and it is much better to get sick from the vaccine than from the flu itself.

“Your symptoms will be much milder,” he said. “The medical profession has never showed that the flu vaccine causes serious side effects.”

The doctor also said symptoms of the flu and Covid are very similar – chills, fever, body aches, cough, headache, vomiting and diarrhea, and if a person developed both, it could be a big problem.

“It’s a very smart idea to get your children vaccinated,” the doctor said.

He said all children between the ages of 6 months and 21 years should have the flu vaccine. The vaccine can be administered at a local pharmacy, although many pharmacies won’t vaccinate a child under 6.

Dr. Sanaullah said the flu season is typically from September through April and the earlier the flu vaccine is administered, the better. But it is never too late.

Wedding in Clarendon with more than 100 people has resulted in at least 30 Covid-19 cases

Press Release, Genesee and Orleans Health Departments

With the recent increase in positive cases of Covid-19 and reports of various events occurring it is important to remember there are still restrictions in place due to Covid-19.

The State has set in place orders on the importance of physical and social distancing to limit the spread of this novel virus that impacts people differently.

In some situations distancing is not being followed and has led to the spread of Covid-19. Through contact tracing and investigating cases it has been made apparent social distancing guidelines were not followed. Recently a wedding, with over 100 people in attendance, impacted at least 9 counties across the state. This event has led to no less than 30 people testing positive so far, between guests and other secondary contacts from one event.

With Halloween and Dia de los Muertos (The Day of the Dead) this weekend it is important to remember to minimize exposure through keeping with smaller gatherings and social distancing. The more people a person is in contact with and for longer periods of time the greater the risk of being exposed to and transmitting Covid-19. If you are sick, experiencing Covid-19 or flu symptoms, are in isolation or quarantine, do not participate in any holiday activities until you are cleared and symptom free.

Limiting social contact is challenging for many people but there are still ways to be in contact without being in their physical presence. Consider having your “gatherings” over social media platforms. You can still connect and have fun in the safety and comfort of your own home.

Orleans has 33 new confirmed cases in past week, while Genesee has 25

Orleans and Genesee counties are each reporting one new confirmed case of Covid-19 today. Since a week ago, there are 33 new cases in Orleans and 25 more in Genesee.

In Orleans, the new case today is a Gaines resident in the 50s. The individual was not on mandatory quarantine prior to testing positive, the Genesee and Orleans County Health Departments said.

Orleans has now had 399 people test positive for Covid since March.

The county has 9 new individuals on precautionary quarantine due to travel from restricted states.

Orleans also is reporting three more recoveries who have been removed from the isolation list. One of the positive individuals also is hospitalized.

In Genesee County, the new case is a Pembroke resident in the 60s. The individual was on mandatory quarantine prior to testing positive.

Genesee County has now had 375 people test positive for Covid since March.

Genesee also has 9 new individuals on precautionary quarantine due to travel from restricted states.

The Health Departments also is reporting two Genesee residents are hospitalized due to Covid.

Genesee County was informed on Thursday that a student at the LeRoy Junior/Senior High School has tested positive for Covid-19. The last day the student was in the school was Tuesday, October 27. All contacts have been identified and have been placed under mandatory quarantine.

Statewide Data: There were 2,255 positive tests for Covid out of 146,885 for a statewide positivity rate of 1.53 percent.

The positive testing rate in all focus zone areas is 2.75 percent, while the rate outside the focus zones is 1.38 percent.

“We cannot become complacent and risk going backwards,” Governor Andrew Cuomo said. “We continue to closely monitor the data and handle micro-clusters as they happen, as well as watching what is happening around us as cases surge again across the country.”

More from the Genesee and Orleans County health Departments:

Flu Tracking:  For the 2020-2021 Flu Season we will provide data on Fridays on the current influenza activity.  To check the data, click here.

For the current week, ending date Oct. 24, Genesee County has 0 cases and Orleans County has 1 case. There are 62 cases statewide. This data is influenza that is confirmed by laboratory testing.  Not everyone seeks testing for confirmation of the flu.

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‘This fall could be a one-two punch for infection as we manage the start of another flu season while working diligently to keep the Covid-19 virus at bay.’ – Governor Cuomo

Press Release, Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s Office

Governor Andrew M. Cuomo today reminded all New Yorkers to get a flu shot to prepare for the flu season, which usually begins in October and runs through May. The New York State Flu Tracker launches today. The tracker displays daily and weekly flu data and provides timely information about local, regional and statewide flu activity.

“This fall could be a one-two punch for infection as we manage the start of another flu season while working diligently to keep the Covid-19 virus at bay,” Governor Cuomo said. “I’m reminding all New Yorkers that getting a flu shot not only protects you from the flu but will allow us to direct vital healthcare resources to fighting the next wave of the COVID-19 virus.”

During the 2019-20 flu season, there were 22,217 flu-associated hospitalizations in the state and 13 pediatric deaths.

“I cannot stress enough how important it is to get your flu shot to protect yourself this season against the dual threat of Covid-19, which can mimic flu symptoms,” said New York State Health Commissioner Dr. Howard Zucker. “The ability to track activity for both viruses on a daily basis will help identify trends and help the Department put the appropriate public health measures in place. I also want to remind New Yorkers that contracting the flu does not mean you cannot contract Covid-19 and vice versa.”

The New York State Department of Health recommends that anyone over six months of age get vaccinated for the flu to protect themselves and others during the upcoming flu season. Click here for locations to get a flu shot.

Adults aged 65 years and older, people with certain chronic medical conditions, young children and pregnant women are among those at highest risk for serious flu complications, which may require hospitalization and could result in death.

Since the flu virus can spread through coughing or sneezing, it is especially important for family members and people who have regular contact with high-risk individuals to be vaccinated.

Over the last four years, there have been a total of 33 pediatric flu-associated deaths in New York State and an average of 19,318 flu-related hospitalizations each year. In January 2019, during the severe 2017-2018 flu season, Governor Cuomo signed an emergency Executive Order allowing pharmacists to administer the flu vaccine to children ages 2 to 18. Subsequently, the Governor passed legislation codifying the order into law. During the 2019-2020 flu season, 56,264 flu shots were administered by pharmacies to children under the age of 18 in New York State outside of New York City.

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200 people from community have now recovered from Covid-19 in Orleans County

Orleans County has one new confirmed case of Covid-19 today, a person in the 60s who lives in Yates.

The individual was not on mandatory quarantine prior to testing positive, the Genesee and Orleans County Health Departments said.

Orleans has now had 398 people test positive for Covid since March.

The county is also reporting 18 new individuals are on precautionary quarantine due to travel from restricted states.

The county reached a milestone today with three more people recovering from Covid and being released from the isolation list. Orleans has now had 200 recoveries from the community. (That doesn’t include people who had Covid in nursing homes and other state-regulated facilities.)

One resident remains hospitalized due to Covid.

The Health Department also is reporting a Lyndonville Central School District tested positive for Covid-19. The staff member was last in the school was Friday, October 23. All contacts have been identified and have been placed under mandatory quarantine.

In Genesee County, the 12 new cases are residents of Darien, Elba, LeRoy, Pavilion and Oakfield.

The new cases are in the following age groups: 0-19 (1), 20s (4), 30s (2), 40s (1), 50s (3), and 60s (1).

Five of the individuals were on mandatory quarantine prior to testing positive. Genesee has now had 374 people test positive since March.

Three Genesee residents are hospitalized due to Covid.

To see an online map of confirmed cases in Genesee, Orleans and Wyoming counties, click here. There are currently 76 active cases in the three counties with 36 in Orleans, 30 in Genesee and 10 in Wyoming.

Here is each region’s percentage of positive test results as reported over the last three days. Orleans County is the Finger Lakes Region.

State-wide Data: There were 168,353 test results reported to the state on Wednesday, a new record high for tests in one day.

The state-wide positivity rate is 1.48 percent with the positive testing rate in all focus zone areas at 3.24 percent, and the positivity rate outside the focus areas at 1.25 percent.

There were 19 deaths from Covid in state on Wednesday, bringing the state-wide total to 25,792.

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Residents urged to continue to fight Covid spread so counties not identified as hotspot

Press Release, Genesee and Orleans County Health Departments

On October 6, Governor Cuomo announced a new cluster action initiative to address Covid-19 hotspots that have or may be identified in certain areas of New York.

“Under the Governor’s initiative to prevent cluster activity it is important to understand the detrimental impact having a cluster can have on our counties,” stated Rochelle Stein, Genesee County Legislative Chair. “Currently, neither Genesee nor Orleans counties have any such clusters/hotspots.”

We can take simple steps to continue our low positivity rates going forward. According to the Governor’s release, the state has developed a science-based approach to contain these clusters and contain any further spread of the virus, including new rules and restrictions directly targeted to areas with the highest concentration of Covid-19 cases and the surrounding areas.

• Under Executive Order 202.68, certain actives in cluster zones are restricted, and any permitted activities in such zones (Red, Orange, Yellow), must be conducted in strict adherence to Department of Health guidance.

• For more information go to the Empire State Development guidance and the New York Forward website for updated information on locations of and operating restrictions within the clusters.

The Cluster Initiative will take the most significant action within the cluster (Red zone), moderate action in the area surrounding the cluster to stop the spread (Orange zone), and precautionary action in the outlying communities (Yellow zone).

Fines for the sponsors of mass gatherings in violation of state public health rules will be increased to $15,000. To see the restrictions within the clusters, click here.

“As we continue to move forward through this pandemic and begin to see an increase in both testing and positive cases, we can expect to see changes in the cluster hotspots,” said Paul Pettit, director of Genesee and Orleans County Health Departments. “Generally the zones are identified as a hotspot for a period of 14 days, but that is also subject to change if the hotspot doesn’t show improvement during that time.”

GO Health continues to remind our residents of the relevant Executive Orders and Public Health Laws to:

• Limit gatherings, (the state maintains no more than 50 at any non-essential gatherings, fines may be levied to those ignoring this order);

• Properly wearing mask/face coverings (nose and mouth covered) whenever in public indoors and outdoors, especially when physical distancing is difficult to maintain;

• Frequently wash hands for at least 20 seconds with soap and water or use hand sanitizer (that contains at least 60% alcohol) if soap and water are not readily available;

• Consider alternatives to family and friend gatherings to decrease the risk of spreading the virus.

• With the impending flu season, it is also important to get this year’s flu vaccine to help lower the risk of being hospitalized with serious complications of the flu.

• As always, if you are experiencing any Covid-19 or flu symptoms – STAY HOME!

Symptoms for both Covid-19 (may appear 2-14 days after exposure to the virus) and the flu (generally sudden onset) can be similar and may include any of the following: fever or chills; cough; shortness of breath or difficulty breathing; fatigue; muscle or body aches; headache; new loss of taste or smell (Covid-19); sore throat; congestion or runny nose, nausea or vomiting, diarrhea. Talk with your primary care provider before going to the office. If you are experiencing difficulty breathing, persistent pain or pressure in the chest, new confusion, inability to wake or stay awake, and/or have bluish lips or face, seek emergency care immediately.

“We all want this to be over, but it will take time,” stated Lynne Johnson, Orleans County Legislative Chair. “We can get through this together if we take care of our health, limit contact with non-household members and be respectful and wear a mask/face covering when in public.”

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County has had 80 people test positive so far in October

Orleans County has six new confirmed cases of Covid-19 today, including one who is a student at the Albion Middle School.

The county has now had 80 people test positive so far this month and 397 since March.

The six new positive cases are residents of Carlton, Barre, Shelby and Murray. The individuals are in the age groups of 0-19, 20s, 40s, 60s and 70s.

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

Orleans also has 16 new individuals on precautionary quarantine due to travel from restricted states.

The county has two people hospitalized due to Covid, and also has two more people who have recovered and have been removed from the isolation list.

The Albion Middle School student is a hybrid learner who was last in the school on Thursday, Oct. 22. All contacts have been identified and have been placed under mandatory quarantine, the Health Department said.

Genesee County has four more confirmed cases and has had 362 positive cases since March.

The new positive cases reside in Batavia, Bergen, Darien and LeRoy. The individuals are in the age groups of 0-19, 40s, 60s and 70s.

One of the individuals was on mandatory quarantine prior to testing positive.

Genesee also has 13 new individuals on precautionary quarantine due to travel from restricted states.

Genesee currently has three people hospitalized due to Covid.

The Health Department also has been notified that an Elba elementary student has a confirmed case of Covid-19. The last date the student was in school was Oct. 23. The Genesee County Health Department will be in touch with the students that were identified in contract tracing efforts. Elba’s Universal Pre-Kindergarten program will be going to a 100% distance learning model until Nov. 9.

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CLARENDON – People who attended a wedding on Oct. 17 in Clarendon may have been exposed to Covid-19. They are urged to closely monitor themselves for symptoms.

If symptoms appear, they should contact their primary care provider immediately and also self isolate until they receive the results of a Covid test, according to a notice from the Orleans and Genesee County Health Departments.

The wedding on Oct. 17 was on Acton Road in Clarendon, a site with a Bergen address.

“A significant number of known close contacts have been identified through contact tracing and have been placed under mandatory quarantine or isolation,” said Paul Pettit, public health director in the two counties. “However, there are individuals that attended the wedding that were not part of the original guest list and those contacts may not be aware they may have been exposed to the virus.”

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.

To find a testing site, click here.

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Orleans reports 9 more recoveries from Covid-19

There are six new confirmed cases reported today in Orleans County and four in Genesee County.

Orleans County with the 6 new positive cases has now had 391 people test positive since March.

The new positive cases in Orleans County reside in Carlton, Clarendon and Murray. The individuals are in the following age groups: 20s, 30s, 40s, 60s and 80s.

None of the individuals were on mandatory quarantine prior to testing positive, the Genesee and Orleans County Health Departments reported this afternoon.

Orleans also is reporting nine more recoveries and those people have been removed from the isolation list.

Orleans also has 4 more individuals on precautionary quarantine due to travel from restricted states. Two residents are also hospitalized due to Covid.

Genesee County has four new positive cases of Covid for a total of 358 positive cases since March.

The new positive cases reside in Batavia, LeRoy and Pavilion. They are in the age groups of 0-19, 30s and 60s.

One of the individuals was on mandatory quarantine prior to testing positive. Genesee also has 25 new individuals on precautionary quarantine due to travel from restricted states.

Genesee also has two people hospitalized due to Covid.

There are currently 62 total active cases in Genesee, Orleans and Wyoming counties, with 34 in Orleans and 14 each in Genesee and Wyoming. Click here to see an online map of confirmed cases in the three counties.

A reminder from the Genesee and Orleans County Health Departments:

• Gathering Size: According to Governor Cuomo’s Executive Order 202.45, all non-essential gatherings of up to 50 individuals of any size for any reason (celebrations, weddings, or other social events at public facilities or private venues) unless otherwise designated (ex. religious gatherings) are now allowed for those regions in phase 4.

And that’s only if appropriate social distancing, wearing cloth masks/face coverings over the mouth and nose, and cleaning and disinfection protocol requirements are followed. With the recent uptick of individuals testing positive and the stricter guidance placed by the Governor, it is important to remember that those who plan and host non-essential gatherings (whether at a venue or a private residence) as noted above, can be fined up to $15,000, and/or cause our counties to be considered a micro-cluster which will place the area under stricter restrictions.

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Massachusetts also on list but travelers from there don’t have to quarantine for 14 days

 Press Release, Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s Office

Governor Andrew M. Cuomo today announced that California has been added to New York State’s Covid-19 travel advisory.

No areas have been removed. The advisory requires individuals who have traveled to New York from areas with significant community spread to quarantine for 14 days. The quarantine applies to any person arriving from an area with a positive test rate higher than 10 per 100,000 residents over a 7-day rolling average or an area with a 10 percent or higher positivity rate over a 7-day rolling average.

Neighboring state Massachusetts now meets the criteria for the travel advisory, in addition to Connecticut, New Jersey and Pennsylvania. However, given the interconnected nature of the region and mode of transport between the states, a quarantine on these states is not practically viable. That said, New York State highly discourages, to the extent practical, non-essential travel between Connecticut, New Jersey, Massachusetts and Pennsylvania while they meet the travel advisory criteria.

“We know Covid is spreading at increased rates in other states and New York State is not in a hermetically sealed bubble,” Cuomo said. “The numbers are a reminder that Covid is still here and continues to spread in communities across the state, particularly when people choose not to follow the safety protocols in place to control the virus.”

The full list of 43 states and two territories on the travel advisory now includes: Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Guam, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Mississippi, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Mexico, New Jersey, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Puerto Rico, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Virginia, Wisconsin, West Virginia and Wyoming.

“We continue to see outbreaks linked to mass gatherings at houses of worship, at weddings and funerals, and other events where the virus can quickly spread,” Cuomo said. “Now, 45 states and territories meet the requirements for our travel advisory. We cannot let our guard down and risk going backwards in New York. It’s going to take the work of all of us to remain vigilant. Stay NY Smart – wear a mask, socially distance and follow the public health guidance. It’s there to save lives.”

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$1.3 million grant program for lead-based paint hazards expanded throughout Genesee, Orleans counties

Press Release, Genesee & Orleans County Health Departments

This week, October 25-31, is National Lead Poisoning Prevention Week, which is a time when families, community organizations, and local governments join efforts in the fight against lead poisoning in their communities.

Lead poisoning in children can lead to hyperactivity, reduced cognitive (thinking) ability, and other permanent, negative health effects. One of the goals of the Genesee and Orleans County Health Departments (GO Health) is to spread awareness of this public health issue and to increase lead poisoning prevention throughout our communities.

“Lead poisoning can be prevented!” said Paul Pettit, Public Health Director in Genesee and Orleans counties. “The key is to keep children from coming in contact with lead. Take time this week to learn about ways to reduce your child’s exposure to lead in their environment and prevent its serious health effects.”

This year, the Center for Disease Control has compiled three themes for National Lead Poisoning Prevention Week:

• Get the facts: Most childhood lead poisoning occurs when children swallow or inhale dust containing lead, often from lead-based paint which was commonly used throughout homes until 1978. Children ingest (eat) lead when they put their hands or other dust-covered objects, such as toys, in their mouth, eat paint chips or soil contaminated with lead, and inhale lead dust, particularly during home renovations or other paint disturbances.

• Get your home evaluated: Although the use of lead was banned from products such as paint since 1978, many homes in our communities still have remnants of old lead paint in them. Old, chipping paint, particularly around window sills, door frames, banisters and porches pose a serious health risk, especially in young children who tend to spend most of their time crawling or playing on the floor.

• Get your child tested: A blood test is the only way to discover if your child has been exposed to lead resulting in a detectable blood lead level. New York State requires that health care providers test all children for lead at age 1 and again at age 2.

Health care providers are required to ask parents/guardians about their child’s exposure to potential lead hazards up until 6 years old. If there is any suspected exposure in that time frame, another blood lead test may need to be administered.

In New York State, the goal is to have 80% of children tested for lead at these ages. Local data shows that the screening rates among children in Genesee, Orleans, and Wyoming Counties fell below the state goal in 2019. Lead testing and early detection can prevent long-term health problems for your child and their future. Make sure to talk to your child’s doctor about lead screening at their next appointment!

Funding may be available to help make your home lead safe. In January 2020, the Genesee County Health Department (on behalf of GO Health) received a $1.3 million federal HUD grant to address lead-based paint hazards in homes and rentals throughout the City of Batavia and the Village of Albion, including installation of replacement windows, paint, siding, and other home repairs. Specifically, the grant targets low-income households with children under the age of 6; this includes homeowners and landlords with low-income tenants.

Recently, Genesee County was able to revise the grant target area to include all areas within Genesee and Orleans counties, making potential grant funding available to qualified applicants throughout both counties.

“Lead hazards exist in older homes all over Genesee and Orleans counties,” said Darren Brodie, Lead Program Coordinator for Genesee and Orleans counties. “We want every eligible resident to have a chance to apply for these funds, and we’re prepared to help them through the process.”

For those who don’t know whether they qualify as low-income, as defined by HUD, the information can be found online or by contacting the Health Department directly. This target area expansion is expected to go into effect in November of 2020, and the Health Department is currently accepting applications county-wide for both Genesee and Orleans in anticipation of the expansion.

For more information on the GO Lead Hazard Control and Healthy Homes Program, National Lead Poisoning Prevention Week, or for general information on lead hazards and the negative effects of lead poisoning, call the Genesee County Health Department at (585) 344-2580 x5507, or email health.GOlead@co.genesee.ny.us.

Lead hazards in the home won’t go away on their own. Lead poisoning prevention starts with YOU!

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Orleans County has 19 new confirmed cases of Covid-19 since the last update on Friday.

The new positive cases reside in Albion, Barre, Carlton, Clarendon and Murray. The individuals are in the age groups of 0-19, 20s, 30s, 40s, 60s and 80s, according to the Genesee and Orleans County Health Departments.

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

Five of the new cases are students at Albion Central School. All five are hybrid learners – two at the high school, one at the middle school and two at the elementary school. Hybrid learners attend in-person two days a week.

Four of the students had not been in school for the week prior to testing positive. The Health Department determined there is no need to do further contact tracing in the school for those students.

Contact tracing regarding the fifth student has been completed. Staff members and parents of any students who were identified as being close contacts have been notified by the Health Department.

The individuals are under mandatory isolation and will remain there until fully recovered, the Health Department said this afternoon.

Contact tracing is in process. Individuals identified by the Health Department as being close contacts either have been contacted or will be by the Health Department contact tracers and they will be placed under mandatory quarantine.

Orleans has now had 385 people test positive for Covid-19 since March.

The county is also reported one resident is hospitalized due to Covid-19, the first hospitalization in the county from Covid in several weeks.

Orleans also has 16 new individuals on precautionary quarantine due to travel from restricted states.

Genesee County received 5 new positive cases of Covid-19 and has now had 354 people test positive since March.

The new positive cases reside in Alabama, Bergen, Bethany and LeRoy. The individuals are in their 20s or 60s.

The individuals were not on mandatory quarantine prior to testing positive, according to the Health Department.

Genesee also is reporting two more recoveries and those individuals have been released from mandatory isolation.

The county has two people hospitalized due to Covid-19.

Genesee also has 13 new individuals on precautionary quarantine due to travel from restricted states.

The local Health Department also is reporting that a resident previously reported as positive at Premier Genesee, a nursing home in Batavia, has now been identified as a negative Covid patient. That individual has been removed from the local numbers of confirmed cases.

Click here to see an online map of the 64 confirmed cases in Genesee, Orleans and Wyoming counties, which includes 10 in Genesee, 37 in Orleans and 17 in Wyoming.

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Orleans County is reporting three more confirmed cases of Covid-19, including a student at Holley Junior-Senior High School for the second day in a row.

The Holley student was under mandatory quarantine at the time of being tested positive. The individual is under mandatory isolation and will remain there until fully recovered. Contact tracing is in process, the Genesee and Orleans County Health Departments said this afternoon.

“Individuals identified by the Health Department as being close contacts with the student have been and/or will be contacted by the Health Department’s contact tracers and placed under mandatory quarantine,” Health Department officials said in a news release.

Individuals identified by the Health Department as being a close contact will be expected to follow the New York State Department of Health quarantine guidelines.

The three new confirmed cases today bring the total to 366 who have tested positive in Orleans since March.

The new positive cases reside in Carlton and Murray, and the individuals are in the age groups of 0-19, the 20s and the 40s. Two of the individuals were not on mandatory quarantine prior to testing positive.

Orleans also has 14 new individuals on precautionary quarantine due to travel from restricted states.

Genesee County is reporting 2 new positive cases of Covid-19 for a total of 350 positive cases since March.

The new positive cases reside in Darien and Oakfield. One person is in the 20s and the other is in the 60s. The individuals were not on mandatory quarantine prior to testing positive, the Health Departments said.

Genesee has 5 new individuals on precautionary quarantine due to travel from restricted states.

Genesee also has 5 people hospitalized due to Covid-19.

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

• Statewide Data: The positivity rate is 1.15 percent for tests on Thursday, including 2.31 percent in the focus zone areas and 0.98 percent outside the focus zones.

“The experts told us we would see infection rates increase through the fall, and we’ve seen that as cases rise again across the nation,” Gov. Andrew Cuomo said. “In New York, we are attacking micro-clusters where we see them, and that will be our strategy through this season as we see micro-clusters come and go.”

Within the focus areas, 18,563 test results were reported yesterday, yielding 428 positives. In the remainder of the state, not counting these focus areas, 122,945 test results were reported, yielding 1,209 positives.

The governor also noted that localized areas that are seeing outbreaks are also seeing hospital admission increases, and remain the main driver of new hospital admissions for the state. Nearly 50 percent of all new daily hospital admissions in New York State over the past 14 days have been from Brooklyn, Queens, Rockland, Orange, and counties along the Pennsylvania border where we have “micro-cluster” focus zone areas.

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Orleans County is reporting one new Covid-19 case this afternoon, a Kendall resident in the 50s.

The individual was not on mandatory quarantine prior to testing positive, the Genesee and Orleans County Health Departments said.

Orleans has now had 363 people test positive for Covid-19 since March.

The county also has 8 new individuals on precautionary quarantine due to travel from restricted states.

Genesee County didn’t receive any new confirmed cases today, and remains at 348 cases since March. One Genesee resident is hospitalized with Covid.

One of the individuals reported yesterday is a resident at Premier Genesee Rehabilitation and Nursing Center in Batavia. That is the first positive case at that facility.

Genesee also has 8 new individuals on precautionary quarantine due to travel from restricted states.

Updates from the Genesee and Orleans County Health Departments:

• Micro-clusters: The initiative will take the most significant action within the cluster (Red Zone), moderate action in the area surrounding the cluster to stop the spread (Orange Zone), and precautionary action in the outlying communities (Yellow Zone). To learn more about the Cluster Action Initiative, click here.

• School Guidance: New York State Department of Health has provided guidance regarding when/if to send a child to school and when/if staff should report. This guidance has been sent out to all school districts and primary care providers.

If you have issues with this guidance or further questions we encourage you to contact your state elected officials or the state directly as the local counties do not have control over what the state directs. For the guidance document, click here.

• The Covid-19 Report Card is an online dashboard which tracks real-time Covid-19 infections and testing operations of every New York school and school district. Click here to access the Report Card.

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