The total number of positive tests for COVID 19 over the past 24 hours totaled 466, more than 100 higher than the previous record high for Onondaga County. County Executive Ryan McMahon added that 6 people have died in the same period of time 4 were nursing home residents, one was a 78-year-old woman, the other an 81-year-old man.
The latest update also includes 255 people in local hospitals due to the disease, with 46 patients in intensive care.
"29% of the hospitalized are nursing home residents, almost a third. It just shows you the direct impact, when you get this virus into buildings, how quickly these become hospitalizations."
McMahon is pointing a finger directly at holiday behavior. There was a spike seen in cases and in wastewatrer testing after Halloween, but then a much larger spike following Thanksgiving. He is urging residents to note those statistics and modify behavior to ge the pandemic under control and not suffer yet another spike in January.
"Where the infections are happening is in places government can't really regulate. We can't regulate inside your own home. So, we need your help. We can stay home when we're sick," McMahon said and urged peopel to get tested, stay home after a positive test for quarantine periods, and start to develop your tracing of who you might have contacted to help wiht contact tracting efforts.
