After seeing a slight uptick earlier this week, the average seven-day positive COVID-19 infection rate was back down to 2.02 percent, the second-lowest of the state's 10 regions on Thursday, Oct. 21, with only New York City's 1.10 percent rate besting it.
Statewide, the infection rate dropped from 2.46 percent as recently as Sunday, Oct. 17 to 2.20 percent on Oct. 21.
Twenty-five New Yorkers died due to COVID-19, according to the latest update, including two in Ulster County.
Average seven-day Infection rates in the state’s 10 regions according to the latest update from the Department of Health on Friday, Oct. 22:
- North Country: 5.57 percent (down .25 percent);
- Central New York: 4.80 percent (down .38 percent);
- Western New York: 4.60 percent (down .36 percent);
- Finger Lakes: 4.59 percent (down .03 percent);
- Mohawk Valley: 4.42 percent (down .32 percent);
- Capital Region: 3.66 percent (down .09 percent);
- Southern Tier: 3.33 percent (down .06 percent);
- Long Island: 2.34 percent (down .12 percent);
- Hudson Valley: 2.02 percent (down .05 percent);
- New York City: 1.10 percent (down .05 percent).
New COVID-19 cases in the Hudson Valley, according to the Department of Health:
- Orange County: 82 new (57,620 since the pandemic began);
- Westchester: 81 (143,717);
- Dutchess: 56 (35,671);
- Rockland: 66 (53,178);
- Ulster: 27 (17,300);
- Putnam: 17 (12,509);
- Sullivan: 16 (8,447);
A breakdown of COVID-19 deaths in the Hudson Valley as of Oct. 20:
- Westchester: 2,340;
- Rockland: 779;
- Orange County: 771;
- Dutchess: 499;
- Ulster: 280;
- Putnam: 98;
- Sullivan: 83.
There were 199,448 new COVID-19 tests administered in New York according to the latest update from the Department of Health, resulting in 3,594 newly confirmed infections for a 2.20 percent positive daily infection rate.
Sixteen new COVID-19 patients were discharged from New York hospitals, bringing the total being treated statewide to 2,066.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), a total of 86.4 percent of New Yorkers over the age of 18 have received at least one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine, while 77.8 percent are fully vaccinated.
The CDC said that 73.3 percent of all New Yorkers have received at least one dose, with 65.8 percent completing the vaccination process.
As of Oct. 22, 1,486,290 (1,339 new) first doses have been administered to Hudson Valley residents, while 1,324,045 (1,351 new) have completed the process, both among the highest rates in the state.
"The vaccine is the best tool we have in ensuring we keep each other healthy and safe from COVID-19 as we head into our colder months," New York Gov. Kathy Hochul said. "We all remember the surge last year and New Yorkers are working hard to avoid one this year. It's simple, the more people we have vaccinated, the sooner we can put this virus behind us - it's free, effective, and readily available."
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