The coronavirus statistical trend continues: The state is posting some of its best numbers of the pandemic. Western New York is not.
For the eighth straight day, Western New York posted the highest rate of positive coronavirus tests among the state's nine regions.
Western New York had 1.4% of its Covid-19 tests conducted Thursday come back positive, and its seven-day average of that rate remained at 2%.
Statewide, the daily percentage of positive tests reached an all-time low of 0.65% on Thursday, marking the 21st straight day that the state has been under 1%.
Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo said 97,826 tests were conducted in New York State Thursday, with 636 positives making for the 0.65% rate. The state also announced its total of coronavirus tests during the pandemic has passed 8 million.
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The five-county Western New York region (Erie, Niagara, Chautauqua, Cattaraugus, Allegany) has now posted a positive test rate above 1% for nine straight days.
On Thursday, the region's troubling numbers prompted Cuomo to announce he was sending a "SWAT" team to conduct rapid testing in eight different Western New York locations. Those tests will begin Saturday, by appointment.
Western New York's single-day rate of positive tests for Wednesday was 2.0%, which lifted the region's seven-day average of positive test rate to 2.0% for the first time since early June.
Although no other region was above 1%, Western New York was not as far and away with the highest rate, as has been the case several times in the last week. The Mid-Hudson region was at 0.9% while the North Country and Central New York were at 0.8%.
Thus far, there has been no corresponding recent increase in hospitalizations in the region, according to state data. Western New York's hospitalization total for Wednesday was 26; that dally total has been in the 20s for most of this month. The last time it was higher was Aug. 3, when the total was 38.
Western New York, which posted its first day of more than 100 cases since May on Wednesday, had 74 new cases among Thursday's 6,125 tests (1.21%).
Erie County, according to state data, had 45 cases Thursday, third behind New York City (245) and Long Island's Nassau County (53). While its case total was above average for the summer months, Erie County's positive test rate of 1.1% was its lowest since Aug. 17.
The Erie County Department of Health reported 43 cases for Thursday.
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.
The state reported Chautauqua County, which has battled an outbreak at the Fieldbrook Foods plant in Dunkirk recently, had 15 cases for Thursday.
Cattaraugus County was listed by the state as having nine positive cases for Thursday. The county reported 10 cases on Thursday, representing its largest single-day total of the pandemic.
Niagara's positive case total for Thursday was five, with the state's number matching the one announced by the county on Friday. Allegany did not have any positive cases.
The state reported three coronavirus deaths for Thursday, while other metrics were near all-time lows achieved this month. Hospitalizations were down 12 to 478; intensive care patients were down four to 122; intubations were down one to 51.
The governor's office also said that its state Liquor Authority and State Police Task Force issued nine violations for noncompliance with state reopening guidelines from among 1,322 establishments visited in New York City and Long Island.
Read the full story from News Staff Reporters Caitlin Dewey and Thomas Prohaska.
