Monroe County reports 607 new COVID cases, hundreds leave RRH over vaccine mandate

Mike Stucka
·5 min read

UPDATE, WEDNESDAY, NOV. 24, 2021: Monroe County reported 607 new COVID cases Nov. 24, bringing the total of new cases for the three days leading into the Thanksgiving Day holiday to 1,344. The percentage of COVID tests that were positive (7-day average) stands at 8%.

In a comment released about the significant elevation of case numbers the county public health commissioner Dr. Michael Mendoza said, "Today’s significant increase in new cases of COVID-19 is partially attributable to a bump in pre-holiday testing over the past several days, and we are grateful so many of you took this step to protect your loves ones before gathering."

As of Nov. 24, 392 individuals were hospitalized for COVID-19 in the Finger Lakes Region (up 19 from Nov. 23). 85 of these patients are in ICU (down 2 from previous day), the county department of health reported.

Rochester Regional Health announced Wednesday that "approximately 350 employees in the Rochester and St. Lawrence regions ... made the personal choice to decline vaccination and leave our health system. The employees represent approximately 200 full-time equivalents (FTEs)." The announcement comes after the state-mandate deadline for health workers to be vaccinated expired Monday.

More: Will New York renew mask mandate and COVID-19 restrictions? What to know as cases surge

Original story: New coronavirus cases leaped in New York in the week ending Sunday, rising 28.1% as 47,678 cases were reported. The previous week had 37,225 new cases of the virus that causes COVID-19.

New York ranked 26th 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 15.5% from the week before, with 646,627 cases reported. With 5.84% of the country's population, New York had 7.37% of the country's cases in the last week. Across the country, 39 states had more cases in the latest week than they did in the week before.

  • Monroe County reported 3,044 cases and seven deaths in the latest week. A week earlier, it had reported 2,745 cases and 14 deaths. Throughout the pandemic it has reported 94,310 cases and 1,234 deaths.

  • Ontario County reported 583 cases and three deaths in the latest week. A week earlier, it had reported 522 cases and two deaths. Throughout the pandemic it has reported 11,170 cases and 116 deaths.

  • Wayne County reported 441 cases and four deaths in the latest week. A week earlier, it had reported 437 cases and four deaths. Throughout the pandemic it has reported 9,736 cases and 99 deaths.

  • Livingston County reported 396 cases and two deaths in the latest week. A week earlier, it had reported 274 cases and one death. Throughout the pandemic it has reported 6,870 cases and 74 deaths.

  • Orleans County reported 229 cases and one death in the latest week. A week earlier, it had reported 254 cases and one death. Throughout the pandemic it has reported 5,256 cases and 94 deaths.

  • Genesee County reported 384 cases and three deaths in the latest week. A week earlier, it had reported 277 cases and two deaths. Throughout the pandemic it has reported 8,241 cases and 142 deaths.

Within New York, the worst weekly outbreaks on a per-person basis were in Washington County with 925 cases per 100,000 per week; Warren County with 683; and Cattaraugus County with 678. 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 Erie County, with 4,274 cases; Kings County, with 4,139 cases; and Suffolk County, with 3,618. Weekly case counts rose in 53 counties from the previous week. The worst increases from the prior week's pace were in Kings, Queens and Suffolk counties.

> See how your community has fared with recent coronavirus cases

New York ranked 11th among states in share of people receiving at least one shot, with 76.5% of its residents at least partially vaccinated. The national rate is 68.8%, 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 Thursday, New York reported administering another 674,003 vaccine doses, including 241,711 first doses. In the previous week, the state administered 383,289 vaccine doses, including 115,625 first doses. In all, New York reported it has administered 28,895,991 total doses.

Across New York, cases fell in nine counties, with the best declines in Essex County, with 103 cases from 133 a week earlier; in Orleans County, with 229 cases from 254; and in Steuben County, with 484 cases from 504.

In New York, 246 people were reported dead of COVID-19 in the week ending Sunday. In the week before that, 232 people were reported dead.

A total of 2,674,200 people in New York have tested positive for the coronavirus since the pandemic began, and 57,190 people have died from the disease, Johns Hopkins University data shows. In the United States 47,730,591 people have tested positive and 771,118 people have died.

>> Track coronavirus cases across the United States

New York's COVID-19 hospital admissions rising

USA TODAY analyzed federal hospital data as of Sunday, Nov. 21.

Likely COVID patients admitted in the state:

  • Last week: 3,469

  • The week before that: 2,878

  • Four weeks ago: 2,701

Likely COVID patients admitted in the nation:

  • Last week: 76,370

  • The week before that: 71,101

  • Four weeks ago: 72,732

Hospitals in 36 states reported more COVID-19 patients than a week earlier, while hospitals in 27 states had more COVID-19 patients in intensive-care beds. Hospitals in 34 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: Monroe County NY COVID-19 cases and deaths tracker