MAYVILLE — The uptick in new confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Chautauqua County is likely the result of the highly contagious Delta variant spreading in the community.

Christine Schuyler, county public health director, discussed the variant and precautions the community should take as a result during a news conference Wednesday morning. County Executive PJ Wendel joined Schuyler.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention raised the level of community transmission of the virus in Chautauqua County from moderate to substantial. That comes with new recommendations, such as wearing face masks indoors, whether vaccinated against COVID-19 or not, and limiting everyday activities to reduce the spread of the virus and to protect the health care system from being overwhelmed.

“We do know that because of the uptick in cases the Delta variant is here, and we truly feel that’s what has led us to the substantial category of transmission,” Schuyler said. “Because of that, the CDC does recommend indoor masking for both those who are vaccinated and unvaccinated in an attempt to try to reduce the spread of this very contagious Delta variant.”

There were 14 new cases of the virus recorded Tuesday, along with 93 current active cases, five people with the virus in the hospital and 214 in quarantine. To date there have been 9,463 confirmed cases, 9,211 recoveries from COVID and 159 virus-related deaths.

Schuyler noted that one person can infect two other people with the original strain of COVID-19; she said with the new variant, one person can infect up to five people at a time.

“The Delta strain is very contagious and we have to just be a little more diligent of what we’re doing,” Schuyler said. “Vaccination is still your best tool to protect yourself. No vaccine is 100% effective, but what we do know is that vaccinated people are three times less likely than unvaccinated people to contract the Delta variant. That makes it much harder, obviously, to spread it to others.”

According to New York’s online tracker, 64,552 people in the county have received at least one dose of the vaccine to date, with 59,532 having completed their vaccination series.

Schuyler said the COVID vaccines are about 88% effective in preventing severe illness and death from the Delta variant. She noted that more than 90% of all infections, hospitalizations and deaths are among those not vaccinated.

The public health director said there have been some “break-through cases,” a person who is partially or fully vaccinated who still tests positive for the virus and is able to spread it to others.

There have been 119 new confirmed cases of COVID-19 since Aug. 1. Of those, 71% involved people who were unvaccinated, 21% were fully vaccinated and 2% were partially vaccinated. The remaining cases had an unknown vaccination status.

“That does not mean that the vaccination does not work,” Schuyler said. “What that does mean is, as I said, no vaccination is 100% effective, but we have to use every tool that we have in our tool box, and vaccination is by far the best tool that we have in our tool box to prevent hospitalizations and severe illness and death from this continued coronavirus pandemic.”

She again encouraged those who have chosen not to be vaccinated to reconsider.

As the school year approaches, the county Health Department is also working with school leaders to quickly compile COVID-19 guidance for K-12 schools. The New York State Department of Health announced last week that it would not be issuing guidance to K-12 schools for the upcoming school year and that schools should look to the CDC and their local health departments for COVID-19 guidance.

“We are actively working with a group of school leaders from rural and city school districts, and Erie 2-Chautauqua Cattaraugus BOCES to set guidance for primary and secondary schools,” Schuyler said. “Recommendations from the CDC, American Academy of Pediatrics, and the NYS Education Department are being taken into account and we hope to have final guidance available very shortly.”