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Syracuse, New York – The number of new coronavirus cases in Onondaga County, although high, has declined from record levels set last week. It’s a sign that an increase in cases attributed to Thanksgiving meetings may decline, County Director Ryan McMahon said.
The question is: what will Hanukkah, Christmas, Kwanzaa and the New Year bring?
“There are a lot of risks ahead with the holidays,” McMahon said today during a press briefing. He urged residents of the county to limit their gatherings to close family members, preferably those who live in the same household.
County health officials today confirmed 378 new cases of the coronavirus since Wednesday. It’s the fourth-highest total since the start of the pandemic, but it’s lower than the record of 466 set a week ago and comes after three days with cases below 300.
Yet hospital admissions continue to increase. There are 302 county residents with Covid-19 in local hospitals, another record, in addition to 76 out-of-county patients. Fifty-three patients are in intensive care, also a record.
Two men died from Covid-19 overnight, one in his 70s and the other in his 80s, McMahon said. The news comes a day after county officials reported a record 18 deaths. A total of 334 county residents have died from the virus, 93 in December alone.
Due to the high risk Covid-19 poses to frail elderly patients, the county this week resumed routine testing of residents of assisted living centers, McMahon said. Of the first three establishments tested on Wednesday, one gave 27 positive tests among residents. These residents will receive early intervention in hopes of preventing them from entering hospitals, he said.
Vaccinations continued today at Upstate Teaching Hospital, where more than 1,000 healthcare workers received their first dose of the vaccine today, McMahon said. Vaccination of residents of local nursing homes is expected to begin on Monday, he said.
Flooded by the recent outbreak of cases, the county health department is bolstering its staff to avoid delays in contact with people who test positive. Speed is key to isolating those who test positive and quarantining their close contacts to prevent further spread.
McMahon said he transferred 90 county workers from their normal jobs to the health department, as part of his commitment to add 175 case investigators. His office also offers work for county employees on leave and part-time workers whose hours were cut earlier this year.
In addition to those efforts, an unidentified local company has offered 12 of its employees to investigate cases for the county, McMahon said. They will be trained and join the county’s efforts while being paid by their regular employer, which McMahon declined to identify.
The county executive said it would welcome any other business wishing to participate in the investigation of the cases. Interested businesses should call the Economic Development Department at 315-435-3770.
New tips? Story ideas? Contact reporter Tim Knauss of syracuse.com/The Post-Standard: E-mail | Twitter | | 315-470-3023
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