More than 750 positive COVID test results in Oneida County in past 24 hours

UTICA, NY (WUTR/WFXV/WPNY) – The combination of the Omicron variant, holiday gatherings and COVID fatigue are adding up to COVID test results higher that the peak early days of the pandemic. Oneida County Executive Anthony Picente called an afternoon presser conference at which he announced that the test result for the county for Thursday, December 30^th showed 753 new positive cases in Oneida County. Picente noted that 69% of the new positive tests were from unvaccinated people. He also reported 5 COVID related deaths in the past 24 hours.

Picente said that a rise in COVID post-holidays was anticipated and the county will not be closing any activities down and is not imposing any new restrictions.

Picente noted that the 753 new positives is the highest one day number reported by the county since the start of the pandemic. It was also the highest number of tests conducted, over 6,000 in the one day time period.

The County executive stated that he anticipated that we would see high numbers across the region. Herkimer County recorded 109 new positives, their second day in a row with more than 100 new COVID cases. Otsego County had 60 new cases, below the 100 plus they had reported on Wednesday, but still a high figure for that county.

Despite the large numbers of positive tests, Picente stated that the impact on local hospitals has been a plus. While the number of positive test results are at a pandemic high, the number of hospitalizations is about half what the peak was in 2020. Picente said that the average number of covid victims in the hospital in January ran about 185 patients. That current average is around 70. Despite the 753 new positives, here are only 67 COVID patients in Oneida County hospitals. Picente credits vaccinations for that fact.

753 new positive cases, 39,675 total.
2,399 active positive cases.
9.4% positivity rate.
5 new COVID-19-related deaths, 593 total.
3,808 in mandatory isolation & quarantine.
67 Oneida County residents are hospitalized.
- 42 unvaccinated/25 vaccinated
- 51 at MVHS
- 8 at Rome Health
- 8 out of county
  - 9 of total hospitalized are in the ICU.
    - 7 unvaccinated/2 vaccinated
  - 5 of total hospitalized are on ventilators.
    - 4 unvaccinated/1 vaccinated
  - 4 of total hospitalized are from long-term care facilities.
    - 3 unvaccinated/1 vaccinated
- Hospitalization vaccination status by age:
  - 20-29 years-old: 5 unvaccinated/1 vaccinated
  - 30-39 years-old: 5 unvaccinated/0 vaccinated
  - 40-49 years-old: 2 unvaccinated/2 vaccinated
  - 50-59 years-old: 8 unvaccinated/1 vaccinated
  - 60-69 years-old: 8 unvaccinated/2 vaccinated
  - 70-79 years-old: 7 unvaccinated/7 vaccinated
  - 80-89 years-old: 4 unvaccinated/12 vaccinated
  - 90-99 years-old: 3 unvaccinated/0 vaccinated
  - 63% of the patients currently hospitalized are unvaccinated.
  - The average age of the unvaccinated patients currently hospitalized is 59 years-old.
  - The average age of the vaccinated patients currently hospitalized is 72 years-old.
  - Of the vaccinated patients currently hospitalized, 80% are at least 6 months past full vaccination.