Two cases of B.1.1.7 recorded in Albany County

Albany County — Albany County recorded the first two cases of the B.1.1.7 mutant of COVID-19. This is the first highly contagious strain identified in the United Kingdom.

At the time of the announcement, in a press release Saturday morning, Albany County administration Daniel McCoy called it “disturbing news.”

First in New York Confirmed case B.1.1.7 — contracted by a man in his 60s in Saratoga — Presentation In January. 4.4.

On Saturday, February 13, Governor Andrew Cuomo reported that 11 new cases of COVID-19 strain B.1.1.7, the first highly contagious strain identified in the United Kingdom, were identified in New York State. ..

Eight of the new B.1.1.7 cases occurred in New York City, two in Suffolk County, and one in Rockland County. This is the first case in the county.

This allows for known cases of New York City’s B.1.1.7 variant in New York City and these counties (Saratoga, Warren, Onondaga, Nassau, Suffolk, Westchester, Rockland, Ulster, Essex, Jefferson, Tompkins, Allegany). Is now 70 in total. , And Niagara.

As of February 21, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention are located nationwide. Aggregate 1,661 cases were identified in 44 states, including 82 in New York. Florida had the highest number at 433, followed by Michigan at 210 and California at 195.

CDC aggregates will be updated by 7 pm on Sundays, Tuesdays, and Thursdays.

Initially, scientists predicted that the B.1.17 strain would be more contagious, but the CDC could become the predominant strain in the United States by March, but believe it is less serious. It was.But recently, British scientists report “An updated additional analysis that reinforces previous findings that people infected with VOC B.1.1.7 have increased disease severity compared to other viral variants.”

February 12, New Respiratory Virus Threat Advisory Group Posted document Not peer-reviewed, it indicates that the B.1.1.7 variant may be associated with increased hospitalization and mortality.

According to the CDC, “In January 2021, UK experts reported that the B.1.1.7 variant may be associated with an increased risk of death compared to other variants. Confirming this finding. Needs more research. “

Latest number

Throughout the provinces and states, infection and hospitalization rates continue to decline from the post-vacation surge.

Cuomo said in a statement Saturday that the state’s positive rate of 3.06% had fallen for at least 43 consecutive days since November 23.

As of Saturday morning, there were 19,935 confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Albany County, including 73 new cases since Friday, McCoy said.

Of the new cases, 47 had no clear source of infection, 19 were in close contact with people infected with the disease, and 7 were health care workers or residents of the collective. ..

The 5-day average of new daily positives increased from 61.6 to 68.8. Currently, there are 592 active cases in the county, up from 584 on Friday.

The number of Albany County residents under compulsory quarantine has increased from 1,567 to 1,651. So far, 61,962 residents have completed quarantine. Of them, 19,343 tested positive and recovered. This is a 55-fold increase in recovery from Friday.

There were five new hospitalizations overnight, and currently 66 counties are hospitalized for the virus. Currently, there are 8 patients in the intensive care unit, down from 11 on Friday.

The death toll from COVID-19 in Albany County remains at 345.

Currently, 184 metropolitan residents are hospitalized with COVID-19, 0.02 percent of the region’s population, and 34 percent of their beds are available, according to a Saturday announcement from the governor’s office.

Across the state, 0.03% of New Yorkers are hospitalized for the virus and 35% of the state’s beds are available.

Currently, 177 of the 242 ICU beds in the metropolitan area are occupied and 27% are available.

Twenty-eight percent of ICU beds are available throughout the state.

Throughout the state, the average 7-day infection rate as of Friday ranges from 0.76 percent in the southern population to 4.40 percent in New York City. The infection rate in the metropolitan area is 2.00%.

New York has been vaccinated by the federal government for the tenth week and has so far reached 3.6 million, according to a Saturday announcement from the Governor’s Office.

This week, the metropolitan area administered 198,584 of the 228,670 doses it had received so far. This is 87 percent.

Ninety percent of the dose is administered throughout the state.