Gov. Kathy Hochul.

Nearly all staffed acute care beds in Chautauqua County hospitals are occupied as of Sunday, according to information provided by hospitals to the state Health Department.

UPMC Chautauqua WCA had all 82 of its staffed acute care beds occupied through Sunday, with 27 of those patients hospitalized with COVID-19. Brooks-TLC in Dunkirk had 32 of its 35 staffed acute care beds full, with 13 of its patients hospitalized with COVID-19. Westfield Memorial Hospital had four of its six beds full, with one of those four beds being a patient hospitalized with COVID-19.

That news is coupled with the news Monday that Gov. Kathy Hochul is making $65 million available to counties across New York state to help with the costs associated with administering vaccines and boosters and enforcing the mask-or-vaccine mandate for indoor public places that went into effect statewide last week.

“Getting vaccinated and wearing a mask are the surest ways to fight COVID and stay safe, and this funding will help counties across the state enforce the reasonable, responsible and effective mask-or-vax mandate in place until mid-January,” Hochul said. “The state is taking extensive measures to fight this pandemic and giving New Yorkers the tools everyone needs to stay safe. Instead of spreading COVID, let’s spread holiday cheer and do it safely by getting vaccinated and wearing masks indoors in public spaces.”