Albany County Executive Daniel P. McCoy announced today that there have now been 2,339 confirmed positive cases of COVID-19 in Albany County to date, an increase of 11 since yesterday. Additionally, the number of people under mandatory quarantine has ticked up from 557 to 559 today. The five-day average for new daily positives has increased slightly to 8.8 from 7.8 yesterday. There are currently 44 active cases, up from 42. So far, 7,797 people have completed quarantine. Of those who completed quarantine, 2,295 of them had tested positive and recovered, an increase of 9. 

Among the new positive cases reported today include one healthcare worker or those who live in congregate settings, five with close contacts to positive cases, one who had reported traveling out of state and four who did not have a clear source of transmission. There were no new hospitalizations overnight and there are still three individuals hospitalized due to the virus, with the hospitalization rate remaining at 0.12%. There is now one patient in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU), up from one yesterday. There were no new COVID-related deaths to report, and the death toll for the county stands at 128 since the outbreak began. 

For the briefing, the County Executive was joined by County Department of Social Services Commissioner Michele McClave, MSW and The Homeless and Travelers Aid Society (HATAS) Executive Director Liz Hitt to discuss the programs and services that continue to be available to the homeless population during the ongoing pandemic.

“Between mental health issues, addiction, the congregate settings of shelters and more, our homeless population has been disproportionately affected by COVID-19, and we need to provide them with a safety net while also stopping the spread of the virus. HATAS is reporting a 47% increase in the number of unsheltered homeless individuals over the last year. With 16.3 million Americans still unemployed, countless families still struggling to pay rent and put food on the table, and the next federal stimulus package still up-in-the air, we need to prevent that number from rising any further,” said County Executive McCoy. 

“Another group that has been disproportionately affected by the ongoing pandemic is our children, especially those with special needs, while our schools were shut down. The Governor announcing that students will be able to return to classrooms in some form in the fall is welcome news. Schools are far more than just a place for learning. They also serve as a source of emotional wellbeing for kids. Teachers serve important roles as mandatory reporters for abuse and many parents can’t afford childcare. As our infection rate continues to remain low and school districts having submitted smart plans for reopening that include remote and in-person lessons, this is a another positive step forward,” he continued

 Albany County provides temporary shelters to homeless individuals and families through seven year-round and two Code Blue shelters, which cumulatively offer more than 400 beds to those in need. These facilities have remained open throughout the pandemic, and the two Code Blue shelters actually remained open later, despite normally closing in April as temperatures rise. Sixty-four homeless individuals were also housed in motels during quarantine while awaiting results from COVID-19 testing. County Executive McCoy also led an initiative to place portable toilets throughout downtown Albany as shelter usage grew in recent months. One of the critical programs provided by HATAS is their outreach van, which operates between 2pm and 10pm and works one-on-one with unsheltered homeless individuals to connect them with services available to them.

County Executive McCoy continues to highlight the testing site in Albany County at Priority 1 Urgent Care, which is now also providing antibody testing, located in Hamilton Square at 2080 Western Avenue in Guilderland. Testing will be reimbursed by an individual’s health insurance, and will be done by appointments only after patients come in to be screened for expanded CDC symptoms. Priority 1 is also now doing antibody testing. To schedule an appointment, you can call (518) 867-8040.

County Executive McCoy also encourages those who are experiencing COVID-19 symptoms to register for the drive-thru community testing site at Rite Aid, 1863 Central Avenue in Colonie. Testing is free for those who are eligible based on CDC guidelines and are at least 18 years old. It’s available between 9am and 5pm, seven days a week by appointment only. Registration is now available at www.riteaid.com. Tests will be conducted from within an individual’s car with self-swab nasal tests and with the help of a pharmacist.

For those experiencing stress, anxiety or depression during the ongoing pandemic and gun violence in the City of Albany, the Albany County Mental Health Support Line is available seven days a week, now from 8am to 5pm at (518) 269-6634. Anyone experiencing a psychiatric emergency should still call the Albany County Mobile Crisis Team at (518) 549–6500. The 24-hour sexual assault hotline number is (518) 447-7716.