'Not Seen Numbers Like This' Since Pandemic's Beginning: Bellone

HAUPPAUGE, NY — As Suffolk reached a new high with a COVID-19 positivity rate of 25% on Thursday while the Omicron wave continues to spread on Long Island, County Executive Steve Bellone reflected that the numbers are similar to what they were last year.

At a news conference on Thursday in Hauppauge, Bellone noted there were 5,772 new cases documented out of a little more than 23,000 tests, which is a positivity rate of exactly 24.7%.

"That is a new high in this Omicron wave," he said, adding that, Wednesday's high was 23.4%.

"We have not seen numbers like this since the beginning of this pandemic," he added.

On Wednesday, 544 people were hospitalized, which is an increase of 43 cases in a 24-hour period, said Bellone, adding that "the numbers are continuing to climb at an alarming rate."

Eighty-five of the patients were in the Intensive Care Unit, which is an increase of 13 cases in 48 hours.

He compared the numbers to where the county was a year ago, at the point where Suffolk was experiencing — towards the end of the second wave of the virus — a "holiday surge." There were 694 people hospitalized and 101 people in the ICU, which is "a little bit higher than where we are — really not that much higher."

But at that point last year, he knew vaccinations were right around-the-corner and never imagined he would be seeing similar positivity rates and hospitalizations after vaccinations were distributed.

"What that tells us is that this virus is going to continue and may continue to take turns in different directions," he said, adding that it "may continue to surprise us as it has at this point."

It's unclear where the situation is going to go, but what is clear, Bellone explained, adding, that testing is important, as is wearing a mask in "indoor environments where there are a number of people because it helps reduce the transmission of the virus," and vaccinations are the best protection from being seriously ill, landing up in the hospital, or even worse dying from this virus."

"Those are the things we know we need to continue to rely on them," he added.

Addressing The Spike In Numbers

The county is working to maintain an adequate stockpile of tests in the county by contracting testing companies, requesting additional tests from the state, and officials are prioritizing drive-up testing, community-based testing, and testing for first responders, essential employees, school personnel, and residents in congregate settings, like nursing homes.

By next week, he expects the county will be doing 5,500 tests a week and there are plans to expand testing to five days a week, with an extra state park opening Monday through Thursday from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. with the testing capacity of up to 1,000 tests per day.

"There's no county in the state of New York that's doing 1,000 tests at a single site in a day," he added.

Related Stories:

• Suffolk County To Open Drive-Up COVID-19 Testing Sites
• CDC Slashes Omicron Estimates: See Latest New York Cases
• CityMD To Close Two More LI Sites Wednesday
• Suffolk Coronavirus 7-Day Positivity Rate Is Nearly 14%: Bellone

In addition to community testing, the county has also ramped up the testing of first responders. Fire, Rescue, and Emergency Services distributed about 7,600 test kits to 83 first responder agencies, and the county's law enforcement unions have also been supplied with rapid testing kits for members.

He urged residents to become vaccinated or get the booster shot if they have not already been inoculated.

"Based on the data that's out there, that booster shot is really important to protect yourself from severe illness," he said.

For more information, go to https://www.suffolkcountyny.go...