ALBANY — The rate of confirmed new COVID infections has been diminishing for more than a week in the Capital Region, state data show.
The rolling average of new infections had steadily increased from mid-March to mid-May then leveled off at 57 new infections per day per 100,000 residents on May 16. It decreased every day to hit 38.5 on May 26.
A similar decline has been seen in many of New York’s 10 regions and in the state as a whole.
Gov. Kathy Hochul noted the decrease in the statewide average in an update Friday, and also suggested that people take precautions not to reverse the trend during the holiday weekend.
“As New Yorkers travel to spend Memorial Day weekend with friends and family, it is important that we don’t let our guard down and continue to use the tools we have available to us to stay safe and healthy,” she said. “The best way to protect yourself and your loved ones from serious illness is to get vaccinated and keep up to date with your booster doses.”
The recent trend in New York runs counter to the nation as a whole — the nationwide rolling average of new infections continues on an upswing, from 88,000 a day May 12 to 110,000 May 26, federal data show.
But even as New York state trends lower on new infections and other states trend higher, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention indicate that New York still has one of the highest infection rates among the 50 states, with New York City faring worse than the rest of the state.
Trends in positive tests have become harder to track with the widespread use of self-testing kits. The New York state Department of Health counts only lab-confirmed positives, and some people who self-test positive at home don’t get a follow-up lab test.
COVID-related hospitalizations also are on the decline in the Capital Region. The hospital census hit a recent peak of 232 on May 17 and declined every day except one to 174 on May 26.
Of the 174 patients, 61.5% were admitted due to COVID or its complications, meaning 38.5% had mild COVID symptoms or no symptoms at all when they entered the hospital for treatment of another problem.
The following data show the rate of new infections per day as of Thursday and the number of consecutive days of decline. Rates are seven-day rolling average per 100,000 residents.
- Albany County 38.2, 7 days
- Fulton County 32.0, 2 days
- Montgomery County 38.1 1 day
- Rensselaer County 42.3, 1 day
- Saratoga County 39.9, 10 days
- Schenectady County 41.6, 4 days
- Schoharie County 20.7, 7 days
- Capital Region 38.5, 10 days
- Mohawk Valley 27.3, 17 days
- New York state 41.4, 9 days
Categories: -News-, Fulton Montgomery Schoharie, Saratoga County, Schenectady, Schenectady County
