Essex Co. reports two new COVID deaths

Oct. 3—PLATTSBURGH — Just two weeks into the fall season, the number of new COVID-19 cases posted from local health departments are remaining at a steady, elevated rate.

Also, much like the prior seven-day period, Clinton, Essex and Franklin Counties are classified at a "medium" level for community spread, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

To drop back into the "low" level classification for community spread, the tri-county area would need to see a decrease in each of the CDC's measurements of "new COVID-19 admissions per 100,000 population in the past seven days, the percent of staffed inpatient beds occupied by COVID-19 patients and total new COVID-19 cases per 100,000 population in the past seven days."

COUNTIES

Essex County Health Department released their monthly COVID report Monday, revealing that 469 new cases were reported throughout the county in September; the case total of which includes at-home positive test results from residents.

ECHD also posted two new COVID-related fatalities over that same timeframe, which has now brought the county's death toll to 69 since the beginning of the pandemic.

Franklin County Public Health saw a significant decrease of 55 in its case count from the prior seven-day total, with 147 new cases, which also include at-home test results from residents, reported from Sept. 27 to Oct. 3.

Clinton County Health Department, contrastingly, saw an increase in its COVID case count. From Sept. 25 to Oct. 1, CCHD posted 184 lab-confirmed cases — up 39 from the prior week's total.

Additionally, the Saint Regis Mohawk Tribe's (SRMT) COVID-19 Response Team reported 18 new cases from Sept. 26 to Oct. 2 in the southern portion of Akwesasne; as of Monday, one case remained active.

According to a SRMT news release, the Saint Regis Mohawk Health Services has the bivalent Moderna vaccine (second Booster) available for individuals ages 18 years or older; the bivalent Moderna vaccine will be available for younger ages in the coming weeks. The bivalent Pfizer vaccine is also available for individuals who are 12 years or older and received their first booster at least four months ago.

STATEWIDE

A state news release revealed that there were 20 COVID-19 related deaths reported statewide Sept. 30.

"As October begins and the weather gets colder, I urge New Yorkers to remain vigilant and use all available tools to keep themselves, their loved ones, and their communities safe and healthy," Gov. Hochul said in the release.

"Stay up to date on vaccinations and be sure to test before you travel or attend a gathering. If you test positive, talk to your doctor about your potential treatment options."

TESTING, VACCINES

COVID-19 testing options can be found on Page A8.

Resources for COVID-19 vaccines in the North Country area are listed on Page A7.

Email: cnewton@pressrepublican.com

Twitter: CarlySNewton