COVID cases up almost 70% as new variant arrives in Monroe County

Mike Stucka
·4 min read

New coronavirus cases leaped in New York in the week ending Sunday, rising 25.7% as 19,377 cases were reported. The previous week had 15,412 new cases of the virus that causes COVID-19.

New York ranked seventh among the states where coronavirus was spreading the fastest on a per-person basis, a USA TODAY Network analysis of Johns Hopkins University data shows. In the latest week coronavirus cases in the United States increased 5% from the week before, with 219,630 cases reported. With 5.84% of the country's population, New York had 8.82% of the country's cases in the last week. Across the country, 16 states had more cases in the latest week than they did in the week before.

COVID cases in Rochester NY region

  • Monroe County reported 617 cases and two deaths in the latest week. A week earlier, it had reported 364 cases and three deaths. Throughout the pandemic it has reported 150,830 cases and 1,548 deaths.

  • Ontario County reported 110 cases and two deaths in the latest week. A week earlier, it had reported 72 cases and zero deaths. Throughout the pandemic it has reported 19,801 cases and 175 deaths.

  • Wayne County reported 60 cases and zero deaths in the latest week. A week earlier, it had reported 49 cases and zero deaths. Throughout the pandemic it has reported 17,108 cases and 170 deaths.

  • Livingston County reported 22 cases and one death in the latest week. A week earlier, it had reported 32 cases and zero deaths. Throughout the pandemic it has reported 11,577 cases and 114 deaths.

  • Orleans County reported 19 cases and zero deaths in the latest week. A week earlier, it had reported 10 cases and zero deaths. Throughout the pandemic it has reported 8,573 cases and 113 deaths.

  • Genesee County reported 23 cases and zero deaths in the latest week. A week earlier, it had reported 24 cases and zero deaths. Throughout the pandemic it has reported 13,611 cases and 184 deaths.

"As anticipated, the highly contagious Omicron BA.2 variant is now present in Monroe County and we are experiencing a rising number of COVID-19 cases," said Monroe County Executive Adam Bello and Monroe County Commissioner of Public Health Dr. Michael Mendoza in a joint statement put out last week.

COVID outbreaks in New York

Within New York, the worst weekly outbreaks on a per-person basis were in Tompkins County with 468 cases per 100,000 per week; Onondaga County with 350; and Hamilton County with 317. The Centers for Disease Control says high levels of community transmission begin at 100 cases per 100,000 per week.

Adding the most new cases overall were New York County, with 3,142 cases; Kings County, with 2,656 cases; and Onondaga County, with 1,614. Weekly case counts rose in 47 counties from the previous week. The worst increases from the prior week's pace were in New York, Onondaga and Nassau counties.

>> See how your community has fared with recent coronavirus cases

New York ranked 6th among states in share of people receiving at least one shot, with 89.5% of its residents at least partially vaccinated. The national rate is 76.9%, a USA TODAY analysis of CDC data shows. The Pfizer and Moderna vaccines, which are the most used in the United States, require two doses administered a few weeks apart.

In the week ending Sunday, New York reported administering another 84,182 vaccine doses, including 21,772 first doses. In the previous week, the state administered 93,152 vaccine doses, including 23,428 first doses. In all, New York reported it has administered 38,274,701 total doses.

Across New York, cases fell in 12 counties, with the best declines in Ulster County, with 180 cases from 294 a week earlier; in Orange County, with 385 cases from 491; and in St. Lawrence County, with 108 cases from 152.

In New York, 112 people were reported dead of COVID-19 in the week ending Sunday. In the week before that, 135 people were reported dead.

A total of 4,983,164 people in New York have tested positive for the coronavirus since the pandemic began, and 67,929 people have died from the disease, Johns Hopkins University data shows. In the United States 79,954,418 people have tested positive and 976,702 people have died.

>> Track coronavirus cases across the United States

NY's COVID-19 hospital admissions staying flat

USA TODAY analyzed federal hospital data as of Sunday, March 27.

Likely COVID patients admitted in the state:

  • Last week: 2,000

  • The week before that: 1,974

  • Four weeks ago: 2,844

Likely COVID patients admitted in the nation:

  • Last week: 39,713

  • The week before that: 41,915

  • Four weeks ago: 66,508

Hospitals in three states reported more COVID-19 patients than a week earlier, while hospitals in six states had more COVID-19 patients in intensive-care beds. Hospitals in 16 states admitted more COVID-19 patients in the latest week than a week prior, the USA TODAY analysis of U.S. Health and Human Services data shows.

The USA TODAY Network is publishing localized versions of this story on its news sites across the country, generated with data from Johns Hopkins University and the Centers for Disease Control. If you have questions about the data or the story, contact Mike Stucka at mstucka@gannett.com.

This article originally appeared on Rochester Democrat and Chronicle: COVID cases up 70% as new variant arrives in Monroe County NY