Cuomo: Increase in positive Covid-19 cases in WNY a 'caution flag'

Cuomo called Western New York's positive test rate, which has been significantly higher than in the rest of the state over the past week, a "caution flag." 

While the state recorded its lowest-ever positive test rate of 0.66% for Sunday, Western New York posted the highest rate in the state for the fourth straight day. 

"The numbers are good all across the state," Cuomo said, "with one exception."

Western New York's rate was 1.1%, the only one among the state's nine regions that was over 1%.  

"In Western New York, we have a caution flag," Cuomo said during a Monday morning briefing from New Hyde Park in Long Island's Nassau County. "We are focusing on it and trying to understand exactly what is happening. 

"The number of positive tests is somewhat escalated. Not a cause for serious concern, but it is a caution flag and we are looking at it."

Western New York's rate increase earned a separate slide in the governor's briefing, complete with small yellow caution flags. 

Cuomo cited the region's rate as being over 1% for six straight days and that its five-day average of daily positive cases is 63, up from 34 a week earlier.   

The governor said the increase was "driven in part by" several factors, including some clusters that the state was looking into:

• Clusters were cited at a steel plant in Erie County and a food processing plant in Chautauqua County;

• There were new cases at two nursing homes "that were identified by state-mandated testing of staff;" 

• Prehospitalization procedure screening; and 

• Testing of seasonal labor at farms. 

According to the state, Western New York conducted 2,522 tests Sunday, with 29 of them positive for the 1.1% rate. The region with the next highest rate was the Mid-Hudson with 0.8%. 

Western New York's positive test rate has hovered around 1% for months but its numbers have stood out over the past week.

Western New York had the highest rate in the state for five of the last seven days, often times by a significant amount. Saturday's rate was 1.8% while no other region was above 0.8%; Thursday's was 1.6% with no other region above 1%.

The increased numbers for the region, which the state defines for coronavirus metrics purposes as Erie, Niagara, Chautauqua, Cattaraugus and Allegany counties, have been largely driven by increases in Erie County.

Erie County's three-day total of 181 positive cases for Thursday, Friday and Saturday was its highest such total since late May (192 for May 28-30).

"Our most recent COVID-19 hospitalization data is still good, though the increase in positive cases is worrisome," Erie County Executive Mark C. Poloncarz said in a tweet Monday. 

Erie County announced Monday that it had 21 cases among its 1,469 tests on Sunday for a positivity rate of 1.4%.

State records said that Erie County's Sunday total was 26 positive cases among 1,452 tests for a rate of 1.8%. 

Daily totals from the respective counties often differ slightly from the state's data due to discrepancies that can include tests administered in one county on individuals who are not from that county, or circumstances such as the timing and/or reporting of tests. 

Niagara County reported 21 cases on Monday, which was the highest total the county has reported since it had 21 on Aug. 7; the county's total hasn't been higher since the county reported 34 on July 6. Monday's announced total included cases from Friday, Saturday and Sunday.

The overall coronavirus numbers for the state are very encouraging, the governor said. 

The state's overall positive test rate for Sunday was 0.66%, the lowest since the pandemic started and the 17th straight day that the statewide rate was below 1%. Among 62,031 statewide tests, 408 were positive for the 0.66% rate. 

Other state coronavirus metrics from Sunday, all which achieved lows since mid-March on Saturday, were up slightly: Hospitalizations were up 10 to 482; intensive care patients also increased by 10 to 120; intubations increased four to 54. There were seven coronavirus deaths in New York Sunday.