Albany County Executive Daniel P. McCoy announced today that the number of confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Albany County has now climbed to 13,495 to date, an increase of 281 new positive cases since yesterday. The five-day average for new daily positives has increased to 251.2 from 239.4. Please note that our overall case count will fluctuate as CommCare records are transferred in and out of the county.

The County Executive also reported that among the new positive cases, 38 had close contact with positive cases, 237 did not have a clear source of infection at this time, and six are healthcare workers or residents of congregate settings. There are now 2,034 active cases in the county, up from 1,822 yesterday. The number of people under mandatory quarantine increased to 3,070 from 2,902. So far, 41,689 people have completed quarantine. Of those who completed quarantine, 11,461 of them had tested positive and recovered. That is an increase of 68 recoveries since yesterday.

There were 24 new hospitalizations overnight, and there are 159 county residents currently hospitalized from the virus – a net decrease of four. There are now 15 patients in the ICU, down from 19 yesterday. There were six COVID-related deaths to report since yesterday: A woman in her 30’s, a man in his 50’s, a woman in her 60’s, a man in his 70’s, and a woman and a man in their 80’s. The death toll for the county now stands at 246 since the outbreak began. 

“Every death is a tragedy, and we now have six more families who are mourning the loss of one of their own. But having to report the death of a resident in their 30’s and the hospitalization of someone under the age of 25 years old today is also a sad reminder that it’s not just older residents that this virus is impacting. We know that private gatherings are the biggest driver of the spread of COVID-19, and we need everyone to accept some of the responsibility of staying home whenever possible until we get the situation under control,” said County Executive McCoy.

“I want to thank Dr. Whalen and the entire Department of Health who made yesterday’s first Point of Dispensing (POD) at the Times Union Center a success. Having been able to vaccinate roughly 375 of those in the 1a category, I’m looking forward to increasing our capacity and getting even more residents the vaccination that will allow us to beat back the virus,” he continued.

Community-wide testing continues on the University at Albany (SUNY) campus by appointment only for those with or without symptoms. Appointments may be made by calling the NYS hotline at 888-364-3065 or by visiting the State Department of Health website.
 
County Executive McCoy continues to highlight the testing site in Albany County at Priority 1 Urgent Care, which also provides antibody testing, located in Hamilton Square at 2080 Western Avenue in Guilderland. Testing will only be provided after appointments are made and after patients come in to be screened for expanded CDC symptoms. To schedule an appointment, you can call (518) 867-8040.
 
The County Executive 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 their website at the link here. Tests will be conducted from within an individual’s car with self-swab nasal tests and with the help of a pharmacist.
 
Walgreens is operating a testing facility at the 41 Holland Avenue location utilizing a self-collection model. Residents will be able to remain in their cars while assisted by pharmacists when necessary. Based on Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines, individuals who are 18 years or older may be tested once completing an eligibility assessment at the Walgreens website or at their app. Patients can get their results from PWNHealth.
 
Price Chopper/Market 32 is piloting a free COVID-19 test program at three of its New York drive-thru pharmacies. Customers can register for a test at the website here and they will get a voucher to go to one of the testing sites on a specific date. Local participating pharmacies are in Latham, Clifton Park and Johnstown. Testing is on Tuesdays from 7am- 9am. Customers won’t leave their car and will administer the test themselves with guidance from a pharmacist. Results will be provided by eTrueNorth.
 
CVS is offering drive-thru testing at select stores. You must register online for an appointment. To do that and find locations offering the drive-thru testing, go to the CVS website.
 
For the all latest data on COVID testing and results, you can refer to the Albany County COVID-19 Data Dashboard, as well as the New York State Department of Health COVID-19 Tracker.
 
For those experiencing stress, anxiety or depression during the ongoing pandemic, the Albany County Mental Health Support Line is available seven days a week, 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.