Entering January, Chautauqua County had a COVID positivity rate of 10.7%.

That number is calculated by taking the number of confirmed cases over a seven-day span and comparing it to the total number of tests administered during that time. New York state used the metric to place restrictions on activities such as seating at restaurants and testing requirements at school.

The county, while never entering a yellow or orange zone, reported a double-digit positivity rate for the first 19 days of January, with a high of 13.4% coming over the Jan. 8-10 weekend.

However, since that time, the local positivity rate — like the rest of the state — has slowly come down. On Monday, the county Health Department said its seven-day average was at 5.7%, a drop from the 7.5% reported Friday.

The current rate locally is now just slightly above the statewide average of 4.86%, according to data noted by Gov. Andrew Cuomo in his daily update. The governor reiterated the need to get more people vaccinated.

“We’re locked in a footrace between the spread of COVID and the vaccine’s quick distribution, and New Yorkers should stay vigilant as we work to get more shots in arms,” Cuomo said. “We have a robust distribution network at the ready, but we need more doses to kick our vaccination effort into overdrive and reach more New Yorkers. New Yorkers should be commended for the hard work and discipline they’ve shown beating back COVID by practicing the basic daily behaviors that help us stop the virus in its tracks. The good news is the holiday spike is over and the experts say that we’re on a downward trajectory–we just need to put in the work to keep it that way.”

In related news, the county Health Department reported 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.

According to county data, four people between the ages of 40 and 49 have died with the virus; three between the ages of 50 and 59; eight between 60 and 69; 26 between 70 and 79; 40 between 80 and 89; and 26 over the age of 90.

As of Monday, 44 residents within local nursing homes have passed away with the coronavirus: six from of Absolut Care of Westfield; 23 at Chautauqua Nursing and Rehab in Dunkirk; 11 at Heritage Green in Greenhurst; and four at Heritage Village in Gerry.

There were 401 active COVID cases as of Sunday, eight less than reported Friday; there were also 35 people hospitalized with the virus, which was unchanged.

The number of people in quarantine did increase over the weekend, from 1,899 to 1,978.

In Cattaraugus County, 12 new COVID cases were reported, bringing the total to 3,765 to date, with 413 currently considered active. There were also 47 people with the virus in the hospital along with 77 confirmed deaths, 3,273 recoveries and a seven-day positivity rate of 4%.

Meanwhile, the number of new cases of COVID-19 in Warren County announced on Sunday and Monday were more in line with the recent trend than the number on Saturday. The Pennsylvania Department of Health, announced six new cases on Monday, bringing the running total to 2,027.

With three more deaths reported over the weekend and one of Monday, 92 county residents have died of COVID-19. That means almost one in every 400 residents alive at the beginning of the pandemic has died a COVID-related death.

With respect to new cases, the weekend was a mixed bag for the county.

On Saturday, the department announced 38 new cases, easily the highest single-day total since Jan. 9.

But, on Sunday, the number of new cases reported was two — that hasn’t happened since Nov. 23.

Brian Ferry in Warren contributed to this story.