Putnam Coronavirus Update: 167 Active Cases

PUTNAM COUNTY, NY — With the highest positivity rate in the Hudson region, Putnam County has 167 active cases of coronavirus, according to the latest data.

In Putnam County, Carmel and Southeast continue to have most of the county's cases (2,722 so far as of Nov. 29). Since the pandemic began Carmel has had 962 confirmed cases, including 273 in November. Southeast has had 625, including 176 in November. (See Breakdown of Positive Cases by Town 10/30/2020.)

County officials have asked the state to provide them with case breakdowns by zip code.

Putnam has the highest positivity rate in the region.

The county has a useful article on its website about combating "pandemic fatigue." (Researchers say the brain normally gets weary after long periods in "fight or flight" mode, with multiple sources of stress.) "After months of restrictions put in place to protect New York State residents from COVID-19, many people are feeling “pandemic fatigue,” especially facing the holidays ahead," county officials point out.

Eight people are hospitalized with COVID-19 at Putnam County Hospital Center.

Hospitalizations are the main concern for public health officials as the pandemic surges and the holiday season is in full swing.

Gov. Andrew Cuomo on Monday announced strategies he hopes will beat back a looming surge in coronavirus hospitalizations over the coming weeks as the statewide infection rate surpassed 4 percent. The announcement came as the number of New Yorkers hospitalized with COVID-19 climbed to 3,532. That's up from 429 on Aug. 29 and up from 1,085 on Oct. 29. Unlike in March, the increase in hospitalizations has affected both upstate and downstate.

The Hudson region's hospitalizations now match their level of late March.