Covid-19: Long Island Positive-Test Rate Passes 25 Percent; Here Are Communities Most Affected

Long Island hit a dubious milestone in its ongoing battle against the Omicron COVID-19 variant that swiftly became the dominant strain in the US.

The Suffolk County COVID-19 map on Tuesday, Jan. 4
Photo Credit: *Suffolk County*

The Nassau County COVID-19 breakdown on Tuesday, Jan. 4.
Photo Credit: *Nassau County*

Zak Failla

01/04/2022 4:30 p.m.

The region continues to lead the way with New York's highest seven-day average percentage of positive tests, rising up to 25.49 percent of those tested on Long Island on Monday, Jan. 3, up more than a full percentage point in the past three days.

Statewide, the positivity rate is also spiking, up from. 20.87 percent to 21.81 percent as of Jan. 3.

No region in New York has a positivity rate below 13 percent as the number of newly recorded infections continues to surge.

In Nassau, 4,306 newly confirmed COVID-19 infections brought the total to 317,907 countywide, while there were 3,806 new cases in Suffolk as the total there hit 340,955 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 93.8 percent of all cases reported in New York between Tuesday, Dec. 21, and Jan. 3.

Ninety-nine new virus-related deaths were reported in New York in the latest update from the Department of Health, including 10 in Suffolk to bring the death toll to 3,844 while Nassau reported five new fatalities to bring the total to 3,427.

Average seven-day Infection rates in the state’s 10 regions according to the latest update from the Department of Health:

Long Island: 25.49 percent (up .55 percent from the previous day);
New York City: 22.52 percent (up .21 percent);
Hudson Valley: 21.91 percent (up .49 percent);
Western New York: 18.73 percent (up .78 percent);
Central New York: 17.42 percent (up 1.10 percent);
Finger Lakes: 17.12 percent (up .44 percent);
Capital Region: 16.31 percent (up .19 percent);
Southern Tier: 14.14 percent (up .44 percent);
Mohawk Valley: 13.78 percent (up .56 percent);
North Country: 13.37 percent (up .49 percent).

The latest breakdown of confirmed COVID-19 cases in Suffolk County, according. to the Department of Health as of Tuesday, Jan. 4:

Brookhaven: 101,847;
Islip: 80,145;
Babylon: 48,803;
Huntington: 40,290;
Smithtown: 25,631;
Southampton: 10,059;
Riverhead: 6,036;
East Hampton: 3,385;
Southold: 2,608;
Shelter Island: 115.

According to the latest data from the county Department of Health, the most cases in Nassau have been recorded in:

Levittown: 9,886;
Hempstead: 7,550;
Hicksville: 7,108;
Valley Stream: 6,717;
Freeport: 6,705;
East Meadow: 6,608
Oceanside: 6,076;
Long Beach: 5,811;
Elmont: 5,667;
Franklin Square: 5,571;
Glen Cove: 4,801;
Uniondale: 4,287;
Rockville Centre: 4,260;
Massapequa: 4,180;
Baldwin: 4,120;
Plainview: 3,845;
Woodmere: 3,830;
Wantagh: 3,822;
North Bellmore: 3,704
West Hempstead: 3,650;
Merrick: 3,635;
North Massapequa: 3,518;
Garden City: 3,507;
Massapequa Park: 3,394;
Mineola: 3,316;
Lynbrook: 3,298;
East Massapequa: 3,290;
Seaford: 3,209;
Bethpage: 3,165;
North Bellmore: 2,841.

Each region's seven-day average of cases per 100K population is as follows:

Capital Region

Friday, Dec. 31: 123.60 new cases;
Saturday, Jan. 1: 139.86 new cases;
Sunday, Jan. 2: 155.07 new cases;
Monday, Jan. 3: 158.53 new cases.

Central New York

Friday, Dec. 31: 130.52 new cases;
Saturday, Jan. 1: 143.07 new cases;
Sunday, Jan. 2: 163.53 new cases;
Monday, Jan. 3: 184.40 new cases;

Finger Lakes

Friday, Dec. 31: 104.13 new cases;
Saturday, Jan. 1: 115.26 new cases;
Sunday, Jan. 2: 124.98 new cases;
Monday, Jan. 3: 134.08 new cases.

Long Island

Friday, Dec. 31: 248.88 new cases;
Saturday, Jan. 1: 374.87 new cases;
Sunday, Jan. 2: 398.82 new cases;
Monday, Jan. 3: 407.77 new cases.

Hudson Valley

Friday, Dec. 31: 260.99 new cases;
Saturday, Jan. 1: 284.44 new cases;
Sunday, Jan. 2: 304.18 new cases;
Monday, Jan. 3: 321.16 new cases.

Mohawk Valley

Friday, Dec. 31: 105.94 new cases;
Saturday, Jan. 1: 116.60 new cases;
Sunday, Jan. 2: 126.49 new cases;
Monday, Jan. 3: 138.85 new cases.

New York City

Friday, Dec. 31: 419.80 new cases;
Saturday, Jan. 1: 439.23 new cases;
Sunday, Jan. 2: 457.73 new cases;
Monday, Jan. 3: 462.97 new cases.

North Country

Friday, Dec. 31: 74.60 new cases;
Saturday, Jan. 1: 84.42 new cases;
Sunday, Jan. 2: 92.85 new cases;
Monday, Jan. 3: 99.32 new cases.

Southern Tier

Friday, Dec. 31: 105.03 new cases;
Saturday, Jan. 1: 118.63 new cases;
Sunday, Jan. 2: 129.35 new cases;
Monday, Jan. 3: 137.25 new cases.

Western New York

Friday, Dec. 31: 139.32 new cases;
Saturday, Jan. 1: 151.13 new cases;
Sunday, Jan. 2: 171.53 new cases;
Monday, Jan. 3: 189.69 new cases.

.New York State

Friday, Dec. 31: 297.74 new cases;
Saturday, Jan. 1: 316.80 new cases;
Sunday, Jan. 2: 335.05 new cases;
Monday, Jan. 3: 344.18 new cases.

There were 236,904 new COVID-19 tests administered in New York on Jan. 3 according to the latest update from the Department of Health, resulting in 53,276 newly confirmed infections for a 22.49 percent positive daily infection rate.

Eight hundred and forty-eight new COVID-19 patients were admitted to New York hospitals as the number being treated for the virus climbed above 10,000 up to 10,411 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 82.9 percent are fully vaccinated.

The CDC said that 84 percent of all New Yorkers have received at least one dose, with 71.8 percent completing the vaccination process.

As of Jan. 4, 2,094,191 (3,192 new) first doses have been administered to Long Island residents, while 1,848,462 (1,767 new) have completed the process, both among the highest rates in the state.

On Long Island, there have been a total of 697,988 booster shots administered, including 8,595 in the past 24 hours and 51,135 in the previous seven days.

"The best way to protect ourselves and our children from getting hospitalized with COVID is with the vaccine and booster," New York Gov. Kathy Hochul said.

"As we continue to fight the winter surge, let's continue to use these tools: Get your second dose and booster when eligible, get your children vaccinated, remember to wear a mask, and stay home if you're not feeling well. If we don't, many more New Yorkers will continue to get sick."

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