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According to health officials, Long Island's seven-day average percentage of positive test results rose from 6.77 percent on Monday, Dec. 13, up to 7.12 percent the following day, rising to 7.53 percent of those tested on Wednesday, Dec. 15.
Statewide, the infection rate statewide also rose, up above 5 percent to 5.11 percent according to the latest update.
Each of the state's 10 regions now have positive infection rates above 3.50 percent, with New York City (3.56 percent) the only one below 5 percent.
In Suffolk, 1,800 newly confirmed COVID-19 infections brought the total to 272,396 countywide, while there were 1,648 new cases in Nassau as the total there hit 240,073 since the pandemic began in March 2020.
According to the Department of Health, they have identified 14 cases of the Omicron COVID-19 variant in Suffolk, with six in Nassau.
Fifty-three new virus-related deaths were reported in New York in the latest update from the Department of Health, including five in Suffolk to bring the death toll to 3,731 and one in Nassau as the number of fatalities since the beginning of the pandemic hit 3,356.
Average seven-day Infection rates in the state’s 10 regions according to the latest update from the Department of Health:
- Western New York: 9.29 percent (up .06 percent from the previous day);
- Finger Lakes: 8.18 percent (down .35 percent);
- Mohawk Valley: 7.85 percent;
- Central New York: 7.58 percent (down .36 percent);
- Long Island: 7.53 percent (up .41 percent);
- North Country: 7.23 percent (down 44 percent);
- Capital Region: 6.34 percent (down .31 percent);
- Southern Tier: 6.70 percent (up .14 percent);
- Hudson Valley: 5.02 percent (up .37 percent);
- New York City: 3.56 percent (up .40 percent).
The latest breakdown of confirmed COVID-19 cases in Suffolk County, according. to the Department of Health as of Thursday, Dec. 16:
- Brookhaven: 82,754;
- Islip: 64,802;
- Babylon: 38,685;
- Huntington: 31,735;
- Smithtown: 20,864;
- Southampton: 8,154;
- Riverhead: 4,851;
- East Hampton: 2,423;
- Southold: 2,142;
- Shelter Island: 102.
According to the latest data from the county Department of Health, the most cases in Nassau have been recorded in:
- Levittown: 8,265;
- Hempstead: 6,192;
- Hicksville: 6,063;
- Freeport: 5,595;
- East Meadow: 5,479
- Valley Stream: 5,343;
- Long Beach: 4,599;
- Elmont: 4,564;
- Oceanside: 4,932;
- Franklin Square: 4,521;
- Glen Cove: 3,952;
- Massapequa: 3,757;
- Uniondale: 3,586;
- Rockville Centre: 3,403;
- Woodmere: 3,287;
- Baldwin: 3,244;
- Wantagh: 3,145;
- North Massapequa: 3,115;
- Plainview: 3,030;
- North Bellmore: 2,997
- East Massapequa: 2,899;
- West Hempstead: 2,873;
- North Bellmore: 2,841;
- Merrick: 2,904;
- Massapequa Park: 2,809;
- Garden City: 2,779;
- Lynbrook: 2,679;
- Mineola: 2,682;
- Seaford: 2,678;
- Bethpage: 2,569.
There were 277,956 new COVID-19 tests administered in New York on Wednesday, Dec. 15, according to the latest update from the Department of Health, resulting in 18,276 newly confirmed infections for a 6.58 percent positive daily infection rate.
Nineteen COVID-19 patients were discharged from New York hospitals as the number being treated for the virus dipped to 3,765 statewide.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), a total of 93.8 percent of New Yorkers over the age of 18 have received at least one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine, while 82.1 percent are fully vaccinated.
The CDC said that 81.4 percent of all New Yorkers have received at least one dose, with 70.7 percent completing the vaccination process.
As of Dec. 16, 2,048,829 (3,684 new) first doses have been administered to Long Island residents, while 1,821,210 (2,340 new) have completed the process, both among the highest rates in the state.
"This is a public health crisis. We must not make light of the winter surge that we are facing, and we should continue to encourage everyone we know to get vaccinated, get the booster and wear a mask," New York Gov. Kathy Hochul said.
"Let's all get through this holiday season safely. There are testing sites and boosters widely available across the state in order to keep ourselves and our loved ones from getting seriously ill due to COVID- 19."
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