Over the past three days, Long Island has recorded the highest positive infection rate of those tested for the virus, spiking to 18.78 percent on Wednesday, Dec. 29.
The infection rate has risen by more than 1 percent daily since Monday, Dec. 27.
Statewide, the infection rate also rose similarly, from 13.36 percent to 16.21 percent as of Dec. 29.
Only two other regions - New York City (16.90 percent) and the Hudson Valley (15.39 percent) have rates above 13.50 percent.
In Nassau, 6,861 newly confirmed COVID-19 infections brought the total to 287,304 countywide, while there were 5,772 new cases in Suffolk as the total there hit 313,688 since the pandemic began in March 2020.
According to the state, "given the rate of spread of Omicron, it is more meaningful to now report the percentage of Omicron variants as reported to the public COVID-19 sequence databases, than continue to report counts of individual cases."
The Omicron variant has comprised 78 percent of all cases reported in New York between Thursday, Dec. 16 and Wednesday, Dec. 29.
Seventy-six new virus-related deaths were reported in New York in the latest update from the Department of Health, including seven in Suffolk to bring the death toll to 3,795 while Nassau reported four new fatalities to bring the total to 3,394.
Average seven-day Infection rates in the state’s 10 regions according to the latest update from the Department of Health:
- Long Island: 18.78 percent (up 1.35 percent from the previous day);
- New York City: 16.90 percent (up 1.65 percent);
- Hudson Valley: 15.39 percent (up 1.67 percent);
- Western New York: 13.29 percent (up 1.57 percent);
- Finger Lakes: 11.87 percent (up 1.69 percent);
- Capital Region: 11.53 percent (up 1.10 percent);
- Central New York: 11.29 percent (up 1.66 percent);
- Mohawk Valley: 10.44 percent (up 1.05 percent);
- Southern Tier: 9.51 percent (up 1.30 percent);
- North Country: 8.21 percent (up 1.02 percent).
The latest breakdown of confirmed COVID-19 cases in Suffolk County, according. to the Department of Health as of Thursday, Dec. 30:
- Brookhaven: 92.194;
- Islip: 72,192;
- Babylon: 43,663;
- Huntington: 36,372;
- Smithtown: 23,509;
- Southampton: 9,063;
- Riverhead: 5,325;
- East Hampton: 2,912;
- Southold: 2,360;
- Shelter Island: 110.
According to the latest data from the county Department of Health, the most cases in Nassau have been recorded in:
- Levittown: 8,869;
- Hempstead: 6,551;
- Hicksville: 6,375;
- Freeport: 5,900;
- East Meadow: 5,832
- Valley Stream: 5,731;
- Oceanside: 5,293;
- Long Beach: 5,009;
- Elmont: 4,891;
- Franklin Square: 4,851;
- Glen Cove: 4,203;
- Uniondale: 3,790;
- Massapequa: 3,757;
- Rockville Centre: 3,733;
- Baldwin: 3,461;
- Woodmere: 3,418;
- Wantagh: 3,377;
- North Massapequa: 3,336;
- North Bellmore: 3,309
- Plainview: 3,306;
- Merrick: 3,168;
- West Hempstead: 3,111;
- East Massapequa: 3,073;
- Garden City: 3,064;
- Massapequa Park: 3,007;
- Mineola: 2,883;
- Lynbrook: 2,875;
- Seaford: 2,855;
- North Bellmore: 2,841;
- Bethpage: 2,784.
Each region's seven-day average of cases per 100K population is as follows:
Capital Region
- Monday, Dec. 27: 70.19 new cases;
- Tuesday, Dec. 28; 82.78 new cases;
- Wednesday, Dec. 29: 90.85 new cases.
Central New York
- Monday, Dec. 27: 70.06 new cases;
- Tuesday, Dec. 28; 82.01 new cases;
- Wednesday, Dec. 29: 91.69 new cases.
Finger Lakes
- Monday, Dec. 27: 52.17 new cases;
- Tuesday, Dec. 28; 62.24 new cases;
- Wednesday, Dec. 29: 72.95 new cases.
Long Island
- Monday, Dec. 27: 234.68 new cases;
- Tuesday, Dec. 28; 264.56 new cases;
- Wednesday, Dec. 29: 293.16 new cases.
Hudson Valley
- Monday, Dec. 27: 152.56 new cases;
- Tuesday, Dec. 28; 184.06 new cases;
- Wednesday, Dec. 29: 209.51 new cases.
Mohawk Valley
- Monday, Dec. 27: 55.05 new cases;
- Tuesday, Dec. 28; 70.21 new cases;
- Wednesday, Dec. 29: 77.48 new cases.
New York City
- Monday, Dec. 27: 285.85 new cases;
- Tuesday, Dec. 28; 323.90 new cases;
- Wednesday, Dec. 29: 359.92 new cases.
North Country
- Monday, Dec. 27: 42.83 new cases;
- Tuesday, Dec. 28; 47.46 new cases;
- Wednesday, Dec. 29: 52.13 new cases.
Southern Tier
- Monday, Dec. 27: 63.32 new cases;
- Tuesday, Dec. 28; 73.14 new cases;
- Wednesday, Dec. 29: 78.67 new cases.
Western New York
- Monday, Dec. 27: 71.52 new cases;
- Tuesday, Dec. 28; 83.90 new cases;
- Wednesday, Dec. 29: 101.55 new cases.
New York State
- Monday, Dec. 27: 194.36 new cases;
- Tuesday, Dec. 28; 222.26 new cases;
- Wednesday, Dec. 29: 248.11 new cases.
There were 336,469 new COVID-19 tests administered in New York in the latest update from the Department of Health, resulting in 74,207 newly confirmed infections for a 22.05 percent positive daily infection rate.
Six hundred and six new COVID-19 patients were admitted to New York hospitals as the number being treated for the virus hit 7,373 statewide.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), a total of 95 percent of New Yorkers over the age of 18 have received at least one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine, while 82.8 percent are fully vaccinated.
The CDC said that 83.8 percent of all New Yorkers have received at least one dose, with 71.7 percent completing the vaccination process.
As of Dec. 30, 2,087,980 (4,334 new) first doses have been administered to Long Island residents, while 1,842,871 (2,086 new) have completed the process, both among the highest rates in the state.
On Long Island, there have been a total of 669,054 booster shots administered, including 11,002 in the past 24 hours and 51,912 in the previous seven days.
"As the New Year approaches, it's more important than ever that we take the necessary precautions to keep each other safe in the face of the COVID winter surge," New York Gov. Kathy Hochul said.
"It's up to all of us to make 2022 a safer, healthier year than 2021 was - get vaccinated, get boosted, mask up, and avoid large indoor public gatherings when possible."
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