Wayne County sets single-day high for new COVID-19 cases

Rochester, New York – The Wayne County Department of Health reported the county saw its highest single-day count for new COVID cases, at 110.

The county says 20% of the record-high new cases are in children. Overall, the most recent stats from New York State show the county has a 10.2% positivity rate over a 7-day average, which is the second-highest in the Finger Lakes Region, trailing only Orleans County, which has a rate of 11.8%.

Wayne County has an estimated population of about 89,918, Orleans has a population of about 39,746.

NY Gov.Kathy Hochul said she was “concerned” over a spike in COVID cases across both the Western New York and Finger Lakes Regions. She added there is a direct correlation between lower vaccination rates, especially in rural areas, and the high infection rate.

Wayne County has roughly 11,531 people fully vaccinated, with 12,028 having received at least the first dose.

Beyond the case count, state data also show that as of Tuesday in the Finger Lakes, only 8% of hospital beds are available, though Hochul did mention that part of the reason why hospitals are full has to do with the pause on elective procedures last year, which resulted in many people delaying medical care, causing some of them to become very sick.

Wayne County showed 29 people needing to be hospitalized as of Wednesday. Monroe County’s COVID data tracker shows 302 COVID patients hospitalized and 87 in the ICU as of Nov. 14, which is the last day it was updated.

Hochul Tuesday added anyone who lives in an area of high transmission and who feels they are at risk should get their booster shot. She said she defines that as anywhere where the transmission rate is greater than 5%, but that lifestyle factors like taking public transportation or working with people could make someone “high risk”.