Coronavirus Updates for Dec. 2: High Infection Rates Reported as Westchester County Tallies Over 520 New Cases, More Deaths

Cases of coronavirus increased by 527 in Westchester County on Tuesday, bringing the total number of positive cases to 51,220 since the start of the pandemic.

The county reported two more deaths, resulting in a total of 1,517 COVID-19-releated fatalities since March. For the month of November there were 42 COVID-19-related deaths in Westchester.

Westchester’s daily positive infection rate is 5.31 percent out of 9,934 tests, according to the state tracker. There are currently 6,245 active coronavirus cases, a number that has more than quadrupled over the last month.

County Executive George Latimer said on Monday the area saw similar active caseloads in May. Despite progress made to curve the virus since June, the county is now moving backwards, Latimer said, with the county reporting infection rates, active cases, and hospitalizations that reflect numbers recorded at the height of the pandemic.

As of Saturday, there were 244 virus patients in Westchester hospitals. While that number has doubled in the past two weeks, it represents less than 10 percent of the roughly 3,000 hospital beds within the county, Latimer said.

Putnam County’s total caseload has reached 2,884, according to the state, with 40 additional positive cases accounted for on Tuesday. The county’s daily positivity rate is 4.78 percent of 836 tests, state data shows, with 614 active cases recorded.

There have been 64 coronavirus-related deaths in Putnam. No new deaths were reported on Tuesday

Statewide there were 7,285 new positive cases on Tuesday, with the daily positivity rate now 4.97 percent. The state recorded 66 additional COVID-19-related deaths, bringing the death toll to 26,816 since March, state data shows.

Total hospitalizations are at 3,774, an increase of 242 over the previous day, according to state data. Across the state there has been a total of 655,265 positive coronavirus cases since the start of the pandemic.

Here are the latest updates on Dec. 2

Of the 29 areas labeled COVID-19 hotspots throughout New York, Peekskill, Ossining, and Port Chester are leading the charge reporting the highest infection rates, state data shows.

Currently, portions of Ossining, Peekskill, Tarrytown, Yonkers, and New Rochelle are designated a COVID-19 yellow zone. Port Chester is still in an orange warning zone.

The zoning designation is part of a three-tiered, color-coded system imposed by the state to reduce high infection rates and target micro-clusters. If labeled a hotspot, with yellow the lowest and red the highest, additional restrictions are implemented to mitigate the virus’ spread.

Testing and compliance efforts are also increased.

As of Tuesday, the seven-day rolling average of those tested in Ossining is 10.03 percent. Peekskill has reported a seven-day average of 9.55 percent, with Port Chester close behind at 8.54 percent.

Tarrytown has a seven-day average of 5.55 percent, with Yonkers reporting 4.75 percent. New Rochelle’s percent positive rate is 6.51 percent, according to state data.

“Thanksgiving was not just one day or weekend – it was the commencement of the holiday season, and the holiday season means increased social activity, which means an increased viral transmission,” Gov. Andrew Cuomo said on Tuesday. “The rate will likely continue to go up through New Year’s and the number one priority when you get into this situation is tracking hospitalizations and ensuring hospitals do not become overwhelmed.”

Cuomo stressed the importance of washing your hands, wearing a mask and social distancing.

School News & Business Closures 

School

• Peekskill City School District will close and shift to virtual learning through Jan. 4.
• Ossining Union Free School District will be fully remote Tuesday, with Ossining High School and Anne M. Dorner Middle School remote on Wednesday.
• Somers Intermediate School will provide remote learning for Grade 5 through Dec. 7 due to a number of teachers and staff in quarantine.
• Kent Primary School will be fully remote through Dec. 8.
• Lakeland High School will be fully remote through Dec. 4.
• The City School District of New Rochelle is going all-virtual, except for a cohort of special education students, until Dec. 3

Westchester Active Coronavirus Cases by Municipality 

Here are the active cases by municipality in Westchester as of Tuesday. With a lag between the total number of cases confirmed by the state and the tally of cases by town, the total number of municipal cases might be slightly different than what the county’s active cases reflects.

• Ardsley – 25
• Bedford – 107
• Briarcliff Manor – 41
• Bronxville – 28
• Buchanan – 10
• Cortlandt – 139
• Croton-on-Hudson – 30
• Dobbs Ferry – 36
• Eastchester – 127
• Elmsford – 44
• Greenburgh – 189
• Harrison – 135
• Hastings-on-Hudson – 17
• Irvington – 21
• Larchmont – 19
• Lewisboro – 71
• Mamaroneck Town – 36
• Mamaroneck Village – 152
• Mount Kisco – 112
• Mount Pleasant – 91
• Mount Vernon – 329
• New Castle – 46
• New Rochelle – 488
• North Castle – 53
• North Salem – 39
• Ossining Town – 18
• Ossining Village – 261
• Peekskill – 153
• Pelham – 34
• Pelham Manor – 20
• Pleasantville – 40
• Port Chester – 222
• Pound Ridge – 17
• Rye Brook – 57
• Rye City – 82
• Scarsdale – 43
• Sleepy Hollow – 93
• Somers – 93
• Tarrytown – 61
• Tuckahoe – 26
• White Plains – 265
• Yonkers – 977
• Yorktown – 159

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