Albany County Executive Daniel P. McCoy announced today with County Department of Health Commissioner Dr. Elizabeth Whalen that as of this morning, there are now 656 confirmed positive cases of COVID-19 in Albany County. Additionally, there are now 784 people under mandatory quarantine and 38 people under precautionary quarantine. A total of 1,555 people have completed quarantine, and 323 of them who had tested positive for the virus have recovered. Sadly, there’s been an additional death since yesterday – a man in his 70’s with multiple underlying health issues. The death toll due to the Novel Coronavirus for the county now stands at 23. 

With 35 people now hospitalized, the hospitalization rate for Albany County stands at 5.33%, up slightly from yesterday’s rate of 4.91%. Nine of those individuals are currently in Intensive Care Units (ICU), an increase of two since yesterday. Shaker Place Rehabilitation and Nursing Center has had 18 residents in total who have tested positive, along with 7 employees in addition to one who has recovered and returned to work. 

Colonie Town Supervisor Paula Mahan and Congressman Paul Tonko joined the County Executive to discuss the new drive-through COVID-19 community testing site in Colonie and the federal stimulus funding being negotiated in Washington. The new testing site was made possible thanks in part to a partnership with Albany County, Rite Aid and the United States Department of Health and Human Services, and will be located at their establishment at 1863 Central Avenue between 9am and 5pm, seven days a week starting Wednesday. 

“While today is a sad day as we learn of another death due to COVID-19 in Albany County and another family mourning the loss, it’s also a day for some optimism in this fight with the latest community testing site opening in Colonie. This is another important step towards tracking how far the virus has spread and ultimately preventing further tragedies, especially considering the high number of older residents that live in Colonie,” said County Executive McCoy. 

“So I want to thank Supervisor Mahan for her leadership, and I also want to thank Congressman Tonko for being a champion in Washington and fighting for direct aid to counties and localities. He understands that we’re on the front lines of the pandemic, and I look forward to seeing federal dollars going towards additional testing, our hospitals, nursing homes and the Paycheck Protection Program for small businesses,” he continued.

He additionally thanked Albany County Legislators Peter Tunny, Patty Lockhart and Minority Leader Frank Mauriello as well Town Board Members Melissa Jeffers, Linda Murphy, Jill Penn and David Green for their assistance in making this site happen.

Testing at the Colonie Rite Aid with be free for those who are eligible based on CDC guidelines and for those at least 18 years of age. Tests will be conducted from within an individual’s car with a self-swab nasal test and with the help of a pharmacist. The site looks to be conducting an estimated 200 tests each day. Testing will be done by appointment only, and registration will begin tomorrow and can be done at www.riteaid.com.

County Executive McCoy also highlighted the walk-up and mobile COVID-19 testing sites that he launched with the Whitney M. Young, Jr. Health Center last week at locations across downtown Albany and in Watervliet. Testing is currently available at Whitney M. Young, Jr. Health Center at 920 Lark Drive in Albany, Monday through Friday from 9am to 4pm. The rotating schedule and locations of the three mobile testing sites for this week starting today can be found below. All testing is done by appointment only and after being screened for symptoms over the phone by calling the Whitney Young, Jr. Health Center at 518-465-4771. Weekly schedules are posted to the Albany County website here.

• Monday, April 20, 11:30am–3:30pm*
  *Alternate time due to South End Children’s Café Food Drive
  Capital South Campus, 20 Warren Street, Albany
• Tuesday, April 21, 9:00am–12noon
  Ezra Prentice Homes, 625 South Pearl Street, Albany
• Tuesday, April 21, 1:30–4:00pm
  Watervliet Health Center, 1804 Second Ave, Watervliet
• Wednesday, April 22, 12noon–4:00pm
  Capital South Campus, 20 Warren Street, Albany
• Thursday, April 23, 9:00am–12noon
  Bleecker Terrace Apartments, North Manning Boulevard, West Hill, Albany
• Thursday, April 23, 1:30–4:00pm
  Watervliet Health Center, 1804 Second Avenue, Watervliet
• Friday, April 24, 12noon–4:00pm 
  Capital South Campus, 20 Warren Street, Albany

Additionally, County Executive McCoy took time to congratulate PVA in Cohoes for getting US Food and Drug Administration approval for the production and use of their life-saving PREVENT ventilators. The County Executive was joined by PVA President and CEO Tony Hynes in March to advocate for this so that the company could produce an estimated 100 ventilators per day.

For those experiencing stress, anxiety or depression while confined to their homes for extended periods, the Albany County COVID-19 Mental Health Support Line is available seven days a week from 8am to 8pm at (518) 269-6634. Anyone experiencing a psychiatric emergency should still call the Albany County Mobile Crisis Team at (518) 549–6500.

The County Executive continues to offer online videos on coping, crafts and reading, AAU karate, exercise, proper use of personal protective equipment and more.

Daily briefings are recorded and may be seen with slides on AlbanyCounty.com, the County’s Facebook page, public access channels—Open Stage Media in Schenectady and Channel Albany in the City of Albany and on Capitol OTB—Channel 1250 Spectrum and Channel 467 on Fios.

For all COVID-19 questions and concerns, including issues with price gouging and fraudulent products, residents are encouraged to use United Way’s 2-1-1 hotline as well as the State Department of Health’s hotline at 888-364-3065.