Cases of COVID-19 skyrocketed last week after being in decline for three weeks in Chautauqua County.
The Chautauqua County Health Department reported 12 people died and there were 852 new cases for the week of December 26 through January 1.
The county’s 7-day average positivity rate nearly doubled from the previous week to 18.4%. The CDC level of community transmission is still considered “high.”
Hospitalizations are down 15 from last week with 24 people hospitalized. 63% of those hospitalized are not vaccinated. The total number of deaths is now 283.
There are 887 active cases with 182 of the new cases located in the city of Jamestown. Since August 1, 64% of new cases were in people who were not vaccinated.
Since the start of the pandemic, there have been 19,280 confirmed cases in the county, with 18,110 being listed as recovered.
According to the CDC Vaccination Tracker, 63.3% of the county’s total population have now received at least one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine, while 56.4% of the total population is fully vaccinated.
Governor Kathy Hochul announced earlier this week that SUNY campuses will be used for COVID-19 test sites. The use of SUNY Fredonia as a test site will open next week.
Hochul said in a statement, “As we continue to combat the winter surge it is essential that we provide more access to testing for New Yorkers to help limit the spread of this virus.”
She added that while testing is critically important, people must continue to use all the tools available including getting vaccinated, getting boosted, and wearing a mask.
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