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New York State Health Department

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Shelter Founder Charged With Animal Cruelty After Death Of 5 Dogs In Westchester Shelter Founder Charged With Animal Cruelty After Death Of 5 Dogs In Westchester
Shelter Founder Charged With Animal Cruelty After Death Of 5 Dogs In Westchester The founder of a Northern Westchester animal shelter faces criminal charges following the euthanization of five dogs found suffering from a serious virus due to an alleged lack of proper care, officials announced.  Bedford resident Penny Berk, the founder and owner of the Rescue Right animal shelter at Northwind Kennels in Bedford at 402 Old Post Rd. (Route 172), was arrested on Thursday, July 18 following the deaths of sick Bernese Mountain Dogs, SPCA Westchester announced.  According to authorities, on Tuesday, Oct. 3, 2023, several witnesses told the SPCA that four sick&nb…

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by Ben Crnic
News
Flu Cases Up, Now Deemed 'Prevalent' By NY Health Officials Flu Cases Up, Now Deemed 'Prevalent' By NY Health Officials
Flu Cases Up, Now Deemed 'Prevalent' By NY Health Officials If you haven’t gotten your flu shot this year, now’s the time to do so. New York State Health Commissioner James McDonald declared that influenza is “now prevalent” in the state on Wednesday, Dec. 6. The declaration requires healthcare workers who have not received this year’s flu vaccine to wear masks in places like hospitals, nursing homes, and hospices. "Health care personnel who are not vaccinated against the flu this season need to take extra precautions and wear a mask in health care facilities, as they are exposed to sick patients and come into close contact with those most vulnerab…

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by Michael Mashburn
News
Tobacco-Related Cancers Down In NY, New Report Finds Tobacco-Related Cancers Down In NY, New Report Finds
Tobacco-Related Cancers Down In NY, New Report Finds Fewer New Yorkers are being diagnosed with tobacco-related cancers. A new report released by the state health department Thursday, Sept. 14, found that several of the cancers most often associated with smoking declined throughout the state between 2016 and 2020. Incident rates of esophageal, laryngeal, and lung cancer - those most closely related to tobacco use - steeply declined both in New York City and elsewhere in the state, the report found. Rates of oral cancer, however, increased by 1.3 percent each year between 2006 and 2020 among those living in New York City. Researchers also no…

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by Michael Mashburn
News
COVID-19: Hochul Urges 'Appropriate Precautions' After New Variant With 30 Mutations Identified COVID-19: Hochul Urges 'Appropriate Precautions' After New Variant With 30 Mutations Identified
Covid-19: Hochul Urges 'Appropriate Precautions' After New Variant With 30 Mutations Identified State health officials say while a newly identified COVID-19 strain that may cause breakthrough infections has not yet been detected in New York, residents should take steps to protect themselves. The BA.2.86 strain, now known as Pirola, has been identified in three states: Michigan, Virginia, and Ohio, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). So far, the BA.2.86 variant has not been detected in New York, where officials have relied on a dual surveillance strategy using wastewater testing and laboratory clinical analysis, Gov. Kathy Hochul’s office said. Officials…

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by Michael Mashburn
News
NY Death Tied To Rare Bacterial Infection; Healthcare Providers Told To Be On Lookout NY Death Tied To Rare Bacterial Infection; Healthcare Providers Told To Be On Lookout
NY Death Tied To Rare Bacterial Infection; Healthcare Providers Told To Be On Lookout Health officials are investigating how a New York resident contracted a rare bacterial infection that ultimately claimed the person’s life. Vibriosis, which can cause skin breakdowns and ulcers, was confirmed in a recently deceased person on Long Island in Suffolk County, Gov. Kathy Hochul’s office announced Wednesday, Aug. 16. The disease is caused by several species of vibrio bacteria, including one that is commonly found in saltwater coastal areas and appears in higher concentrations from May to October when temperatures are warmer. Those infected may experience a range of symptoms, inc…

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by Michael Mashburn
News
NY Declares Polio 'An Imminent Threat To Public Health' NY Declares Polio 'An Imminent Threat To Public Health'
NY Declares Polio 'An Imminent Threat To Public Health' New York’s top health official is urging the public to get vaccinated against poliovirus if they haven’t yet done so. State Health Commissioner Dr. Mary Bassett declared polio "an imminent threat to public health" in New York State Wednesday, Sept. 28. NY Declares Polio State Of Emergency After Virus Found In Wastewater On Long Island The declaration will free up resources to help local health departments set up vaccination clinics and better focus their outreach efforts to unvaccinated or under-vaccinated New Yorkers, Gov. Kathy Hochul’s office said. Health officials are hoping to boost …

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by Michael Mashburn
News
COVID-19: These Hudson Valley Counties Won't Enforce New Mask Mandate COVID-19: These Hudson Valley Counties Won't Enforce New Mask Mandate
Covid-19: These Hudson Valley Counties Won't Enforce New Mask Mandate This story has been updated. Some Republican county executives in the Hudson Valley won't be adhering to New York Gov. Kathy Hochul’s new mask mandate as the state battles the winter surge of COVID-19. As of Monday, Dec. 13, masks are required for New Yorkers in all public places unless a vaccine requirement is in place due to the rise of new COVID-19 infections and hospitalizations throughout the region. Earlier story - COVID-19: Here Are Penalties In Place, Info On Vax Requirements As NY Mask Mandate Takes Effect However, in the Hudson Valley, at least two local health departments will…

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by Zak Failla
News
COVID-19: Here Are Penalties In Place, Info On Vax Requirements As NY Mask Mandate Takes Effect COVID-19: Here Are Penalties In Place, Info On Vax Requirements As NY Mask Mandate Takes Effect
Covid-19: Here Are Penalties In Place, Info On Vax Requirements As NY Mask Mandate Takes Effect Harsh penalties for those refusing to wear a mask indoors and new vaccine requirements are now in effect in New York as the state fends off new variants of the virus as the number of new cases soars. Beginning on Monday, Dec. 13, masks will be required to be worn in all indoor public places unless businesses or venues implement a vaccine requirement due to the rise in new COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations across the state. The new requirements will be in effect through Saturday, Jan. 15, at which point the state will reassess the situation based on the conditions statewide at that time. …

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by Zak Failla
News
COVID-19: Four More NY Residents Identified As Being Infected With Omicron Variant COVID-19: Four More NY Residents Identified As Being Infected With Omicron Variant
Covid-19: Four More NY Residents Identified As Being Infected With Omicron Variant Omicron, the new strain of COVID-19 that has caused worldwide alarm the last week, has now been detected in 12 New York residents. On Monday, Dec.6, New York Gov. Kathy Hochul announced four more cases have been identified, four days after the state announced its first five cases and two days after it announced three additional cases. So far, the cases appear unrelated and have been confirmed through sequencing of the SARS-CoV-2 virus, according to the New York State Health Department.  Two of the new cases are Suffolk and Oneida counties, bringing Suffolk County's total number o…

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by Joe Lombardi
News
COVID-19: Omicron Confirmed In CT Resident With Family Member Who Attended NYC Convention COVID-19: Omicron Confirmed In CT Resident With Family Member Who Attended NYC Convention
Covid-19: Omicron Confirmed In CT Resident With Family Member Who Attended NYC Convention Omicron, the new strain of COVID-19 that has caused worldwide alarm the last week, has now been detected in Connecticut and Massachusetts. "This evening we confirmed the first case of the Omicron variant in CT," Connecticut Gov. Ned Lamont announced Saturday night, Dec. 4. "This is not a cause for alarm. We have life-saving tools available and I urge everyone to take the necessary precautions to fight this pandemic. Get your vaccination. Get your booster." The case involves a man in his 60s from Hartford County who developed mild symptoms on Saturday, Nov. 27. An at-home COVID-19 test…

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by Joe Lombardi
News
COVID-19: Vaccinated Hudson Valley Resident Tests Positive For Delta Variant COVID-19: Vaccinated Hudson Valley Resident Tests Positive For Delta Variant
Covid-19: Vaccinated Hudson Valley Resident Tests Positive For Delta Variant A vaccinated New York resident has tested positive for the Delta strain of COVID-19. The positive result in the Hudson Valley resident was confirmed Monday, June 28 in Ulster County. The strain, first detected in India in December 2020, now makes up 90 percent of new cases in the United Kingdom and 20 percent of new cases in the United States. Ulster County Executive Pat Ryan said word came from the New York State Health Department and that the person has recovered. "This incident is a critical reminder that while we have made great strides in fighting this virus, we are not out of the wo…

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by Joe Lombardi
Schools
COVID-19: New York Loosening Mask Restrictions On Schools COVID-19: New York Loosening Mask Restrictions On Schools
Covid-19: New York Loosening Mask Restrictions On Schools New York is loosening its mask-wearing restrictions for students and staff next week as the state continues its recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic. Beginning on Monday, June 7, masks will no longer be required indoors or outdoors in New York schools after seeing nearly two straight months of the COVID-19 positivity rate dropping. As of Monday, masks will be “strongly encouraged” for unvaccinated people, but not required. They will also not be needed outdoors, though people not fully vaccinated will be encouraged to wear them in high-risk circumstances. Anyone who is fully vaccinated will …

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by Zak Failla
Politics
Cuomo Aides Doctored Documents To Hide Higher Number Of Nursing Home Deaths, New Report Says Cuomo Aides Doctored Documents To Hide Higher Number Of Nursing Home Deaths, New Report Says
Cuomo Aides Doctored Documents To Hide Higher Number Of Nursing Home Deaths, New Report Says New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo is again making headlines for the wrong reasons, this time because his aides reportedly doctored documents to conceal the number of COVID-19 deaths in nursing homes at the height of the pandemic. It is alleged in a New York Times report that Cuomo’s aides rewrote a report from state health officials to conceal the true number of COVID-19 deaths in nursing homes while strengthening his reputation as a leader. According to the report, Cuomo’s aides rewrote the report before it went public to omit 9,250 deaths that were recorded by the state Health Department, prompt…

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by Zak Failla
News
COVID-19: Here Are Testing Restrictions In Place As New York Resumes Nursing Home Visits COVID-19: Here Are Testing Restrictions In Place As New York Resumes Nursing Home Visits
Covid-19: Here Are Testing Restrictions In Place As New York Resumes Nursing Home Visits Nursing homes in New York will resume indoor visitation this week with certain testing restrictions in place depending on the county’s progress in combating COVID-19. Testing will not be required in counties with a positivity rate below 5 percent, while rapid testing will be required for any visitors in counties with a positivity rate between 5 percent and 10 percent. Regular visitation will not be allowed in counties with a positivity rate above 10 percent. Visits will also only be permitted at nursing homes that go 14 days without a COVID-19 case inside the facility within staff or resid…

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by Zak Failla
Politics
Top Republicans Call For Cuomo's Ouster After Top Aide Admits They Hid Nursing Home Data Top Republicans Call For Cuomo's Ouster After Top Aide Admits They Hid Nursing Home Data
Top Republicans Call For Cuomo's Ouster After Top Aide Admits They Hid Nursing Home Data A growing number of political figures in New York are calling for Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s head - and job - following a new report that the state withheld information on COVID-19 deaths in nursing homes during the pandemic and the administration was aware of it. Original story - COVID-19: NY AG Report Says Nursing Home Deaths May Have Been Undercounted By 50 Percent The New York Post reported that Cuomo’s top aide, Secretary to the Governor Melissa DeRosa, told Democratic state legislators in a meeting this week that the administration “froze” when asked to release data about the number of …

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by Zak Failla
News
COVID-19: Westchester Sees Decline In New Cases; Breakdown By Community COVID-19: Westchester Sees Decline In New Cases; Breakdown By Community
Covid-19: Westchester Sees Decline In New Cases; Breakdown By Community Less than 1,000 new COVID-19 cases were reported in Westchester County, where the overall infection rate has started to drop. The Westchester County Department of Health was reporting 624 confirmed COVID-19 cases out of 8,951 tests administered on Monday, Jan. 25 as the number of active cases dipped from 11,068 to 10,935 as the region recovers from the spike caused by the holidays. Related story - COVID-19: Hudson Valley Sees Increase In Positive-Test Rate; Latest Totals By County More than 1.7 million COVID-19 tests have been administered in Westchester since the beginning of the pan…

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by Zak Failla
News
COVID-19: Here Are Number Of Sites Enrolled To Administer Vaccine In Hudson Valley COVID-19: Here Are Number Of Sites Enrolled To Administer Vaccine In Hudson Valley
Covid-19: Here Are Number Of Sites Enrolled To Administer Vaccine In Hudson Valley More than 100 COVID-19 vaccination sites have already been set up in the Hudson Valley, with hundreds more expected to be activated in the region as New York prepares to roll out the vaccine for the general public. New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo said that there are currently 105 vaccination sites active on Long Island, with a total of 713 expected by the time the vaccine is ready for wide dissemination. To date, 3,762 providers have applied and been approved by the state to serve as vaccination sites with 636 locations are now activated and permitted to begin vaccinating eligible New Yorkers, w…

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by Zak Failla
News
COVID-19: Hudson Valley Sees New Increase In Cases With Nearly 1.2K; Latest Breakdown By County COVID-19: Hudson Valley Sees New Increase In Cases With Nearly 1.2K; Latest Breakdown By County
Covid-19: Hudson Valley Sees New Increase In Cases With Nearly 1.2K; Latest Breakdown By County The Hudson Valley saw a new increase in the number of new COVID-19 infections as well as the positive-test rate, according to information released by state health officials on Monday, Dec. 28. There are currently 852 patients hospitalized with COVID in the Hudson Valley, with 36 percent of hospital beds available. A total of 413 of 678 ICU beds are occupied, with 42 percent available. The positive testing rates for the last three days in the Hudson Valley are as follows: Friday, Dec. 25: 6.10 percent Saturday, Dec. 26: 6.03 percent Sunday, Dec. 27:  6.29 percent H…

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by Joe Lombardi
News
COVID-19: Hudson Valley Sees 1,400-Plus New Cases; Latest Breakdown By County COVID-19: Hudson Valley Sees 1,400-Plus New Cases; Latest Breakdown By County
Covid-19: Hudson Valley Sees 1,400-Plus New Cases; Latest Breakdown By County The Hudson Valley saw a total of 1,402 new COVID-19 infections, according to information released by state health officials on Thursday, Dec. 24. There are currently 785 patients hospitalized with COVID in the Hudson Valley, with 34 percent of hospital beds available in the region's seven counties. The positive testing rates for the last three days in the Hudson Valley are as follows: Monday, Dec. 21: 6.29 percent Tuesday, Dec. 22: 6.31 percent Wednesday, Dec. 23: 6.22 percent Here's a breakdown of newly reported cases in the Hudson Valley: Westchester County, 5…

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by Joe Lombardi
News
COVID-19: Here's Five-Day Hudson Valley Positivity Testing Rate; New Cases For Each County COVID-19: Here's Five-Day Hudson Valley Positivity Testing Rate; New Cases For Each County
Covid-19: Here's Five-Day Hudson Valley Positivity Testing Rate; New Cases For Each County Positive test results for COVID-19 in the Hudson Valley remained steady, according to brand-new five-day data released by New York State on Tuesday, Aug. 4. Of the 70,993 test results reported on Monday, Aug. 3 to New York State, 746, or 1.05 percent, were positive.  In the Hudson Valley, the positive percentages in the last five days are as follows: Thursday, July 30: 0.9 percent  Friday, July 31: 1.0 percent Saturday, Aug. 1: 0.8 percent Sunday, Aug. 2: 0.9 percent Monday, Aug. 3: 1.0 percent A total of 746 new COVID cases were reported on Monday, bringing the s…

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by Joe Lombardi
News
COVID-19: These Are 10 Most Underlying Health Issues Related To Deaths In NY COVID-19: These Are 10 Most Underlying Health Issues Related To Deaths In NY
Covid-19: These Are 10 Most Underlying Health Issues Related To Deaths In NY Since the onset of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, health officials have cautioned that the elderly, those with compromised immune systems, or underlying conditions are more at risk. As of Wednesday morning, April 15, these underlying health issues led to the following number of fatalities in New York, according to the state health department: Hypertension: 6,142; Diabetes: 4,061; Hyperlipidemia: 2,146; Coronary Artery Disease: 1,329; Dementia: 1,164; Renal Disease: 1,161; COPD: 885; Atrial Fibrillation: 870; Cancer: 805; Congestive Heart Failure: 717. COVID-19 Total Cases, Deat…

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by Zak Failla
News
COVID-19: School Staff Members In Westchester Test Positive COVID-19: School Staff Members In Westchester Test Positive
Covid-19: School Staff Members In Westchester Test Positive Two staff members working in a Westchester school district are among the latest to test positive for novel coronavirus. The Yonkers School District issued an alert to parents notifying them that two members of the district's 12-month staff tested positive for COVID-19, though they have not been at work or in a school building for more than a week. Earlier story - COVID-19: Wegmans Delays Grand Opening In Westchester “Based on the directives from the New York State and Westchester County Health Departments, and the State Education Department, the Yonkers Public Schools medical sta…

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by Zak Failla
Schools
Westchester School District Will Install Vape Detectors Westchester School District Will Install Vape Detectors
Westchester School District Will Install Vape Detectors A Westchester school district is set to install special detectors that can recognize the vapors from e-cigarettes in an effort to curb usage by students. The White Plains School District has purchased vape detectors, which are being installed in multiple undisclosed locations throughout school grounds. The pilot program comes after similar programs throughout the country. The detectors pick up chemicals in the vapor and trigger a silent alarm, alerting school administrators that there was a violation. According to the New York State Health Department, 40 percent of high school seniors and …

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by Zak Failla
News
Flu By The Numbers: Here's How Many Cases Have Been Reported In Westchester Flu By The Numbers: Here's How Many Cases Have Been Reported In Westchester
Flu By The Numbers: Here's How Many Cases Have Been Reported In Westchester Flu season is in full swing in the Hudson Valley, with dozens of reported cases currently being treated by doctors in the area. Officials from the New York State Health Department announced this week that the flu is spreading rapidly throughout the state, with some hospitals reportedly limiting visitation to prevent the spread of the virus. Flu season kicks off in earnest in October each year, though patients can still be susceptible to certain strains in September, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The CDC said that reported cases tend to increase in Novemb…

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by Zak Failla
News
Flu Cases Climbing In New York: Here Are The Latest Numbers Flu Cases Climbing In New York: Here Are The Latest Numbers
Flu Cases Climbing In New York: Here Are The Latest Numbers If you haven’t gotten your flu shot yet, now may be the time as the virus is spreading. Officials from the New York State Health Department announced this week that the flu is spreading rapidly throughout the state, with some hospitals reportedly limiting visitation to prevent the spread of the virus. Flu season kicks off in earnest in October each year, though patients can still be susceptible to certain strains in September, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The CDC said that reported cases tend to increase in November before peaking between December and F…

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by Zak Failla
News
Mosquitoes With West Nile Found In Westchester Mosquitoes With West Nile Found In Westchester
Mosquitoes With West Nile Found In Westchester This season’s first two batches of mosquitoes carrying the West Nile virus in Westchester have been identified in Yonkers.  The area surrounding the positive mosquito batches have been inspected and treated to protect against further mosquito breeding nearby, said officials with the Westchester County Health Department. “Mosquitoes are often thought of as merely a nuisance but they can carry serious diseases, including West Nile virus,” said Westchester County Executive George Latimer. “With more rain expected this week, it’s important to remember we can keep mosquitoes from breeding and bi…

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by Kathy Reakes