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COVID-19 rates on decline, state says

Positivity rates for COVID-19 and hospitalizations continued their downward pace over the weekend. According to the latest state numbers, the seven-day average for the COVID-19 positivity rate has declined for 23 straight days to 5.17%, which is the same rate for Western New York. “We’ve dealt with a holiday surge driven by increased social activity, the surge is reducing, and the state’s seven-day average positivity rate has declined for 23 straight days, which is a significant trend,” noted state Gov. Andrew Cuomo said. “As we continue to vaccinate as many New Yorkers as ...

County reports 182 new COVID cases, 4 deaths

The Chautauqua County Department of Health is reporting 182 new COVID cases along with four new virus-related deaths in its update that includes information received from Friday through Sunday. To date there have been 6,743 confirmed cases as well as 107 deaths associated with the virus. Of the new cases, 38 come from the Dunkirk zip code, 19 in Fredonia and 40 in Jamestown. Over the weekend, the state reported five COVID deaths in the county. In addition, four deaths of nursing home residents were recorded. It's unclear in the new fatalities reported by the county Monday involve ...

NY data show nursing home deaths undercounted by thousands

ALBANY (AP) — New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo's administration confirmed that thousands more nursing home residents died of COVID-19 than the state's official tallies had previously acknowledged, dealing a potential blow to his image as a pandemic hero. The surprise development, after months of ...

County reports 61 new COVID cases

The Chautauqua County Department of Health reported 61 new COVID cases on Friday. That brings the total to 6,561 confirmed to date. Of the new cases, from data collected through Thursday, 14 come from the Dunkirk zip code, five in Fredonia and 16 in Jamestown. Several municipalities also reported between one and five new cases. For the first time since its Jan. 15 report, the county did not record a new virus-related death. The total remains at 103, according to health department information. In Cattaraugus County, 31 new COVID cases were reported Thursday evening. To date, 3,703 ...

ALBANY (AP) — New York's attorney general has joined calls for the state to loosen a partial immunity from lawsuits and criminal prosecutions it had granted to nursing homes at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic last spring. In a report issued Thursday, Attorney General Letitia James, a ...

SUNY chancellor calls for plan to resume spring sports

SYRACUSE — State University of New York Chancellor Dr. Jim Malatras has requested that the State University of New York Athletic Conference develop a plan, for the presidents’ consideration, to resume spring intercollegiate athletic competition safely. In a press release today from the SUNYAC office, it was noted that the plans for spring sports will be expected to meet the guidance provided by the NCAA, the New York State Department of Health, local and regional authorities, and the SUNY system. The trajectory of the pandemic on the campuses during the early weeks of the semester ...