COVID Cases Climbing in Hudson Valley After Thanksgiving

You may want to take some extra precautions in the Hudson Valley, as COVID appears to be ramping up throughout Dutchess, Orange and Ulster Counties.

Most of the Hudson Valley has moved on from the pandemic, and for good reason. Effective vaccines and medications have lessened the impact of the virus, allowing those who are protected to quickly recover. Unfortunately, many residents have not received their boosters and that has contributed to an uptick in cases that continues to climb in the wrong direction.

Dutchess County logged 90 new cases of COVID-19 on Tuesday. In Orange County, 106 people tested positive for COVID within 24 hours, while Ulster County saw 27 new cases.

Experts were predicting an increase in COVID cases after Thanksgiving, and that appears to have happened, especially here in the Hudson Valley. According to the latest statistics released by New York State, The Hudson Valley's seven-day average of positive cases per 100,000 residents continues to climb. On Sunday the average in the Hudson Valley was 17.93. Monday that statistic reached 19.19 and on Tuesday the number was at 21.27.

Currently, there are 347 people hospitalized in the Mid-Hudson Region with COVID-19. Over 42% of those people were admitted because of COVID complications. Governor Hochul continues to encourage residents to take advantage of available tools like vaccines and new treatment options.

As November comes to a close, New Yorkers should remain vigilant and continue to use all available tools to keep themselves, their loved ones and their communities safe and healthy. Be sure to stay up to date on vaccine doses, and test before gatherings or travel. If you test positive, talk to your doctor about potential treatment options.

New boosters that protect from not only the original COVID-19 virus but also the Omicron variant are now available to everyone over the age of 5.