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Covid-19: Westchester Sees Nearly 600 New Cases; Latest Update

The number of active COVID-19 cases in Westchester and patients being hospitalized with the virus continues to climb week-to-week as the county combats the second wave. 

Zak Failla
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In his COVID-19 briefing on Monday, Nov. 30, Westchester County Executive George Latimer offered grim news as the number of COVID-19 cases continues to mount.

According to Latimer, there are currently 6,117 active COVID-19 cases in the county, up approximately 1,300 from last week. A month ago, the county had 1,393 active cases.

There are currently 244 COVID-19 patients hospitalized, which is up from 168 one week ago, 121 two weeks ago, and up from 48 late last month.

Latimer said that the positive infection rate has fluctuated from around 5 percent over the weekend to 5.6 percent as of Sunday, Nov. 29.

There have now been 1,515 COVID-19-related deaths, 15 more than a week ago. Latimer noted that over the summer, there were only 11 virus-related fatalities in Westchester during the course of two months, whereas there have been 42 reported deaths in the past four weeks.

The last time Westchester had this many active cases was on May 3, and the last time there were this many COVID-19 patients hospitalized was on May 31, Latimer said.

"It's not a rosy picture, and I've said, I'm not here to sugarcoat reality or fear monger," Latimer said. "I'm just giving you the numbers. This has now been a steady increase. This is probably five weeks or six weeks in a row that we've seen worse number Monday over the previous Monday." 

In the past 24 hours, there were 148,974 COVID-19 administered, resulting in 6,819 positive tests. The overall infection rate statewide rose to 4.57 percent, though the state's focus area micro-clusters - including parts of Westchester - is at 6.22 percent.

In the Westchester micro-clusters, the infection rate has fluctuated since the beginning of the month: 

Peekskill

  • Sunday, Nov. 8 through Saturday, Nov. 14: 10.36 percent;
  • Sunday, Nov. 15 through Saturday, Nov. 21: 7.15 percent;
  • Current seven-day rolling average: 8.43 percent.

Ossining

  • Sunday, Nov. 8 through Saturday, Nov. 14: 9.88 percent;
  • Sunday, Nov. 15 through Saturday, Nov. 21: 10.22 percent;
  • Current seven-day rolling average: 10.35 percent.

Tarrytown/Sleepy Hollow: 

  • Sunday, Nov. 8 through Saturday, Nov. 14: 8.47 percent;
  • Sunday, Nov. 15 through Saturday, Nov. 21: 8.27 percent;
  • Current seven-day rolling average: 10.65 percent.

Yonkers:

  • Sunday, Nov. 8 through Saturday, Nov. 14: 4.48 percent;
  • Sunday, Nov. 15 through Saturday, Nov. 21: 4.11 percent;
  • Current seven-day rolling average: 5.03 percent.

New Rochelle:

  • Sunday, Nov. 8 through Saturday, Nov. 14: 6.46 percent;
  • Sunday, Nov. 15 through Saturday, Nov. 21: 5.68 percent;
  • Current seven-day rolling average: 6.19 percent.

Port Chester: 

  • Sunday, Nov. 8 through Saturday, Nov. 14: 9.34 percent;
  • Sunday, Nov. 15 through Saturday, Nov. 21: 7.59 percent;
  • Current seven-day rolling average: 7.91 percent.

"All the experts spoke about what was going to happen when we reach the fall—there's colder weather, more people are indoors and more people are now traveling," New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo said on Monday. "While there has been a change in behavior amongst the majority of people who understand and follow protocols, it's as critical as ever we continue our work and focus on preparing this state, and its residents, for winter."

"We are already in the holiday season, and that is going to have a profound effect." he added. "It already has. It had an effect when people started to travel for the holiday season, when they started to travel for Thanksgiving, when students to go home, when people started to shop, and when they started to move around. Increased mobility and social activity equals increased viral infection rate."

Statewide, there have been a total of 19,272,524 COVID-19 tests administered, with 641,161 New Yorkers testing positive for the virus. Since March, there has been a total of 26,690 COVID-19-related deaths.

"You are not just going into the Thanksgiving weekend, you're starting a 37-day holiday period," Cuomo said. "It's not a one- or two-day affair—it's going to be the entire holiday season.

"New Yorkers need to stay vigilant, wash their hands, wear masks, socially distance, and follow the rules as we move through the next 37 days and beyond."

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