COVID-19 Statistics Update, May 13, 2020

May 13, 2020 Kassadee Bradshaw
Jake West gives information about Services to Aid Families amid the COVID-19 pandemic. Image from Oswego County's YouTube channel.

OSWEGO COUNTY – According to the Oswego County Health Department, as of 3 p.m. today, there have been no additional cases of novel coronavirus (COVID-19) since yesterday. The cumulative reported number is 74 cases across the county and of those, 62 have recovered and three have died.

Oswego County Legislature Chairman James Weatherup held a video briefing today when he talked about reopening and Jake West, senior program manager for Services to Aid Families (SAF), discussed domestic violence.

Weatherup said there has been a lot of confusion in regards to testing requirements and Oswego County’s testing capabilities.

“Let me assure you the Central New York regional team, the county’s COVID-19 response team and our community health partners are doing everything we can to meet the requirements for reopening,” Weatherup said. “We believe we’ve met all the requirements outlined by the governor, however, we recognize it will be a challenge for our local healthcare facilities to obtain enough test kits to sustain some of the testing requirements. We are working very aggressively to obtain more kits from the state in order to meet the governor’s testing requirements for healthcare workers, skilled nursing and assisted living facilities.”

Weatherup said agencies across the country have seen an uptick in domestic violence cases since the pandemic began. West provided information on support services in the county.

“Survivors are facing additional barriers and concerns due to increased isolation and stress. With that being said, I do not plan to minimize the fact that if there’s violence occurring in the home now, it is very likely there was violence in the home prior to the COVID outbreak,” West said.

West said during the first few weeks of the pandemic SAF saw a decrease in calls to their 24-hour hotline, attributing this to those experiencing domestic violence are essentially trapped in their homes with their abuser, making it difficult to reach out for help. Since then, the program has returned to a similar number of requests prior to the pandemic. In 2019 they answered 3,454 hotline calls.

SAF still has staff operating the 24-hour hotline, the 18-bed emergency shelter, providing crisis intervention, emotional support, counseling, safety planning, information and referral, advocacy, long-term and emergency financial support, crime victim compensation assistance, legal assistance, and case management services to victims and survivors in the community. More information is available through the hotline: 315-342-1600.

The Oswego County Family Court is still hearing essential cases, including emergency orders of protection.

“Although our service delivery model has changed and many services are being provided virtually, staff continue to meet the needs of survivors in our community,” West said.

Today’s statistics are below.

Oswego County: (as of 3 p.m.) Note, the total number of positive cases is cumulative and the number of recoveries and deaths are of those numbers.

  • Total # of active cases: 9 (yesterday 10)
  • Total # of positive cases: 74 (no change since yesterday)
  • Total recoveries: 62 (yesterday: 61)
  • Total # of deaths: 3 (no change since yesterday)
  • Total # people tested: 2,302 (yesterday: 2,235)
  • Total # of negative results: 2,142 (yesterday: 2,084)
  • Pending results: 80 (yesterday: 71)
  • Total # of people in precautionary quarantine: 69 (yesterday: 61)
  • Total # of people in mandatory isolation/quarantine: 62 (yesterday: 57 )
  • Total completed/released from monitoring: 2,382 (yesterday: 2,316)
  • Unacast social distancing score (as of today): D

All known contacts of COVID-19 positive patients are being notified. In the event that a known case had public exposure when they were contagious, such as someone who worked in a restaurant, the county health department would alert citizens through the news media and social media.

Areas With Cases (alphabetical order):

COVID-19 has been identified in the cities of Fulton and Oswego and the towns of Boylston, Constantia, Granby, Hastings, Mexico, Minetto, New Haven, Orwell, Oswego, Palermo, Richland, Sandy Creek, Schroeppel, Scriba, Volney, West Monroe and Williamstown.

Note, no new additions were added today. The county does not release the town/city of individual cases. If there has been a new case and a new area has not been added, that means it is in an area that has already been affected before. Once an area is added it is not removed from the list because the county does not say when a town/city no longer has a case.

New York: (as of yesterday)

  • Total # of positive cases: 340,661 (the day before: 338,485)
  • Total # of deaths: 22,013 (the day before: 21,845)
  • Unacast social distancing score (as of today): D

Watch today’s briefing given by Governor Andrew Cuomo here.

Other updates from the state include:

  • Nonessential businesses will stay closed through May 15.
  • All K-12 schools and college facilities statewide will remain closed and continue to provide distance learning, meal delivery and childcare services for the remainder of the school year.
  • Governor Cuomo issued executive orders 202.17 and 202.18 requiring all people in New York to wear masks or face coverings in public, including when taking public or private transportation or riding in for-hire vehicles.
  • The Finger Lakes, Southern Tier and Mohawk Valley Regions have met all seven metrics required to begin phase one of the state’s regional phased reopening plan when NYS on PAUSE orders expire on May 15.
  • Certain low-risk business and recreational activities will be ready to reopen statewide on May 15, including landscaping and gardening businesses; and recreational activities such as tennis and drive-in movie theaters.
  • Governor Cuomo released a guide to the state’s “NY Forward Reopening” Plan, along with the state’s regional monitoring dashboard.
  • Governor Cuomo proposes “Americans First Law” stating a corporation cannot receive government funding if it does not rehire the same number of employees pre-pandemic.
  • Governor Cuomo issues Executive Order mandating all nursing home staff be tested for COVID-19 twice per week.
  • Hospitals cannot discharge a patient to a nursing home unless that patient tests negative for COVID-19.
  • Department of Health and Human Services has distributed new treatment Remdesivir to help patients infected with COVID-19 recover more quickly.
  • New Yorkers without health insurance can apply through NY State of Health through June 15, 2020; must apply within 60 days of losing coverage.
  • A new contest asks New Yorkers to create and share a video explaining why wearing a mask in public is important. Interested applicants can go to wearamask.ny.gov.
  • Health care workers can text NYFRONTLINE to 741-741 to access 24/7 emotional support services.
  • New Yorkers can call the COVID-19 Emotional Support Hotline at 1-844-863-9314 for mental health counseling.
  • Testing is free for all eligible New Yorkers as ordered by a health care provider.

U.S.: (as of 3:32 p.m)

  • Total # of positive cases: 1,381,696 (yesterday: 1,358,000)
  • Total # of deaths:  (yesterday: 81,650)
  • Total # of recoveries:  (yesterday: 232,733)
  • Unacast social distancing score (as of today): D-

Worldwide: (as of 3:32 p.m.)

  • Total # of positive cases: 4,317,061 (yesterday: 4,233,504)
  • Total # of deaths: 294,997 (yesterday: 289,932)
  • Total # of recoveries: 1,523,278 (yesterday: 1,481,314)

What It Means:

Status Required for Precautionary Quarantine – Person meets one or more of the following criteria:
  • has traveled to China, Iran, Japan, South Korea, or Italy, but is not displaying symptoms;
  • or is known to have had a proximate exposure (being in the same enclosed environment such as a classroom, office, or gatherings but greater than 6 ft from a person displaying symptoms of COVID-19 or someone who has tested positive for COVID-19) to a positive person but has not had direct contact with a positive person and is not displaying symptoms.

Status for Required Mandatory Quarantine – Person has been in close contact (within 6 feet) with someone who is positive, but is not displaying symptoms for COVID-19; or person has traveled to China, Iran, Japan, South Korea, or Italy, and is displaying symptoms.

Status for Required Mandatory Isolation – Person has tested positive for COVID-19, whether or not displaying symptoms for COVID-19.

Status for Total Positive Cases Recovered – Person no longer has fever for 72 hours, symptoms have improved, and they meet the requirements to be released from mandatory isolation set by the New York State Department of Health.

Protocol for Testing – New York State Department of Health

As New York State aggressively expands COVID-19 diagnostic testing capacity, the Department of Health has revised guidance to increase testing for frontline workers, including all first responders, health care workers, and essential employees who interact with the public, while continuing to prioritize resources.

Testing is done at the Oswego Hospital or the Pulaski Urgent Care. Testing is free for all eligible New Yorkers as ordered by a health care provider.

Testing for COVID-19 shall be authorized by a health care provider for individuals who meet one or more of the following criteria:

  • An individual is symptomatic or has a history of symptoms of COVID-19 (e.g. fever, cough, and/or trouble breathing), particularly if the individual is 70 years of age or older, the individual has a compromised immune system, or the individual has an underlying health condition; or
  • An individual has had close (i.e. within six feet) or proximate contact with a person known to be positive with COVID-19; or
  • An individual is subject to a precautionary or mandatory quarantine; or
  • An individual is employed as a health care worker, first responder, or other essential worker who directly interacts with the public while working; or
  • An individual presents with a case where the facts and circumstances – as determined by the treating clinician in consultation with state or local department of health officials – warrant testing.

Testing for Essential Workers in New York State

Guidelines from the Oswego County Health Department:

  • Stay home as much as possible.
  • Wear a face mask or covering over your nose and mouth.
  • Avoid non-essential gatherings of all types and sizes. (All non-essential gatherings of any size are banned.)
  • Keep six feet from other people.
  • Wash hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds, especially before eating.
  • Cover your cough or sneeze with a tissue and then throw the tissue in the trash.
  • Avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth
  • Avoid close contact with people who are sick.
  • Stay home if you are sick, unless you are seeking health care.
  • Call your healthcare provider from home if you are experiencing symptoms such as a fever, cough or shortness of breath.
  • Do not go to an emergency department unless you are experiencing life-threatening conditions.
  • Clean and disinfect frequently touched objects and surfaces.

These are everyday habits that can help prevent the spread of several viruses.

Resources:

  • Oswego County COVID-19 Hotline: 315-349-3330
  • New York Mental Health Hotline: 1-844-863-9314
  • Oswego COVID-19 Mental Health and Crisis Hotline: 315-343-5507

Links For Statistics:

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