COVID-19 Cases, Hospitalizations Ticking Upward In The Hudson Valley

HUDSON VALLEY, NY — Spring break is almost over and Passover and Easter are upon us, with many New Yorkers traveling and getting together with families as the more contagious omicron BA.2 subvariant displaces the variant mostly responsible for the winter surge.

On Wednesday, the Biden administration announced that it is extending the nationwide mask requirement for airplanes and public transit for 15 days as it monitors an uptick in COVID-19 cases. SEE: CDC Extends Travel Mask Requirement As COVID-19 Cases Rise

The Centers for Disease Control reported more than 30,000 new infections Monday, a 20 percent increase over the previous week.

The number of cases per 100,000 residents has been rising slightly in the Hudson Valley since the beginning of April. The 7-day average was 25.94 cases per 100,000 as of Tuesday. That's up from 17.60 per 100,000 on April 5 and 12.58 as of March 29.

(State officials say because so many people are taking home tests, reported results no longer give a full picture of the status of the coronavirus in a community and data about cases per 100,000 are more precise.)

The highest caseload in the region was in Westchester County, state health data showed.

Hospitalizations have also been inching up in the Hudson Valley, though they also remain far below the heights of the winter surge.

While New York and New England have some of the higher case rates in the country, still, the CDC classifies the level of cases as low.

"If you're attending family gatherings or traveling, take a test before and after. And if you test positive, talk to a doctor about the available treatments," New York Gov. Kathy Hochul said last week. "Vaccination remains the key to preventing serious illness from COVID and keeping people out of the hospital. We continue to encourage all New Yorkers to get vaccinated, and for those 55 and up to get their second booster shot."

According to the CDC, 76.5 percent of all New Yorkers had completed the vaccine series as of Wednesday, compared to 65.8 percent nationwide.

A poll in mid-March by the Kaiser Family Foundation found that Americans are evenly divided over keeping the mask rule for transportation, according to the Associated Press. The poll found that 51 percent wanted the mandate to expire and 48 percent said it should remain in place – in effect, a tie, given the poll’s margin of error. Democrats overwhelmingly supported the rule, and Republicans were even more united in opposing it. Vaccinated people and those with chronic health conditions favored keeping the rule, but by smaller margins.