COVID-19

Data Update – 

• Genesee County received 15 new positive cases of COVID-19.
  • The new positive cases reside in the:
    • Central Region (Alexander, Batavia, Bethany, Elba, Oakfield) 
    • East Region (Bergen, Byron, Le Roy, Pavilion, Stafford)
• The individuals are in their 0-19s, 20s, 30s, 40s, 50s, 70s and 80s.  
• Eighteen of the previous positive individuals has recovered and has been removed from the isolation list.  
• Twelve of the current positive individuals are hospitalized.
• One of the new positive individuals is a resident of The Grand Rehabilitation and Nursing at Batavia.

Orleans County received five new positive cases of COVID-19.  

• The positive cases reside in the:
  • West Region (Yates, Ridgeway, Shelby)
  • Central Region (Carlton, Gaines, Albion, Barre)
• The individuals are in their 0-19s, 30s, 40s, and 60s.
• One of the new positives was on mandatory quarantine prior to testing positive.
• Five of the previous positive individuals have recovered and have been removed from the isolation list.
• Two of the current positive individuals are hospitalized.

Press release:

The legislative leaders and public health directors of Genesee, Orleans and Wyoming counties sent a letter to New York State Governor Andrew M. Cuomo urgently requesting the designation of a regional mass vaccination clinic at the Genesee Community College (GCC) campus to provide the COVID-19 vaccine to the rural counties.

The letter was signed by: Rochelle Stein, Genesee County Legislative chairwoman; Lynne Johnson, Orleans County Legislative chairwoman; Rebecca Ryan, Wyoming County Board of Supervisors chairwoman; Paul Pettit, Genesee Orleans County Health Departments director; and, Dr. Gregory Collins, Wyoming County Health Department Medical director.

The letter reads that “Genesee, Orleans and Wyoming Counties have consistently been left out of the COVID-19 response with delays in testing supplies and now with very limited vaccine allocations. All three counties are medically underserved and having a regional clinic with less than a half hour commute would benefit these communities."

The letter went on to state that residents have limited transportation access to Buffalo and Rochester and that a vaccination clinic at GCC would draw the eastern and western portions of other contiguous counties and that it is easily accessible from the Thruway. If properly staffed through assistance by the National Guard the officials said that the GCC clinic would have the capacity of vaccinating in excess of 2,000 individuals per day.  

The letter expresses concerns about the lack of access in rural communities to vaccination site and vaccine supplies.

It concludes that “our three counties look forward to working with your office to provide this much needed and more equitable solution to meet the needs of the more rural communities."

Copies of the letter were also sent Genesee, Orleans and Wyoming Counties state representatives, Assemblyman David DiPietro, Senator Patrick Gallivan, Assemblyman Stephen Hawley, Assemblyman Michael Norris, Senate Minority Leader Robert Ortt, and Senator Edward Rath, III.

From Rochester Regional Health Care:

As eligibility for the COVID-19 vaccinations expands to more members of our community, New York State has shifted the delivery of vaccine allocations from health care systems to state and county mass vaccination sites, pharmacies and to facilities for groups like veterans and those with developmental disabilities.

Because of this shift, Rochester Regional Health is no longer routinely scheduling additional first dose COVID-19 vaccination appointments for non-healthcare workers. We will fulfill all first- and second-dose appointments that are already scheduled. 

We know many in our community are eager to get vaccinated as quickly as possible and know that this has been a frustrating process. Thank you for your patience and persistence.

We recommend continually checking the Finger Lakes Vaccination Hub for the latest on eligibility for and availability of COVID-19 vaccination appointments in our region.

Data Update – 

• Genesee County received 59 new positive cases of COVID-19.
  • The new positive cases reside in the:
    • West Region (Alabama, Darien, Pembroke)
    • Central Region (Alexander, Batavia, Bethany, Elba, Oakfield) 
    • East Region (Bergen, Byron, Le Roy, Pavilion, Stafford)
• The individuals are in their 0-19s, 20s, 30s, 40s, 50s, 60s, 70s and 80s.  
• Thirty-one of the previous positive individuals has recovered and has been removed from the isolation list.  
• Ten of the current positive individuals are hospitalized.
• Seven of the new positive individuals are inmates at the Buffalo Federal Detention Center.

​

Orleans County received 14 new positive cases of COVID-19.  

• The positive cases reside in the:
  • West Region (Yates, Ridgeway, Shelby)
  • Central Region (Carlton, Gaines, Albion, Barre)
  • East Region (Kendall, Murray, Clarendon)
• The individuals are in their 0-19s, 20s, 30s, 40s, 50s, 60s and 80s.
• Twenty of the previous positive individuals have recovered and have been removed from the isolation list.
• Two of the current positive individuals are hospitalized.
• Three of the new positive individuals are inmates at the Albion Correctional Facility.

Press release:

Last week Governor Andrew Cuomo issued amendments to his fiscal year 2021-2022 state budget including unnecessary and punitive measures impacting all NYS Department of Health licensed Adult Care Facilities and Assisted Living Residences.  

“It was shocking to see this scourging punishment at a time when assisted living providers and staff have fought valiantly and tirelessly to protect their residents during this pandemic nightmare at great peril to their emotional, mental and financial wellbeing,” said Lisa Newcomb, Empire State Association of Assisted Living’s (ESAAL’s) executive director.

“Instead of the praise and honor that our provider members and their staff so clearly deserve, the Governor is inflicting upon them harsh punishment. Why are we being attacked?”

Specifically, the budget amendments multiply daily penalties tenfold, from $1,000 per day to $10,000 per day. In addition, the amendments eliminate the assisted living provider’s ability to rectify minor, less serious violations without a concurrent fine, meaning that something as minor as submitting one daily survey to the (Health) Department one minute late automatically subjects a provider to a potential fine of $10,000.   

The Department of Health already has broad fining authority in the Public Health Law and a review of the history of fines shows that the state agency has exercised that authority with zeal, both before and during the coronavirus pandemic.

These proposed increased financial penalties coupled with an inability to correct minor infractions without penalty have many assisted living providers concerned about their continued ability to keep their doors open.  

Newcomb concedes that while the numbers of positive cases and resident deaths are not nearly as high as those in nursing homes, assisted living communities have not escaped unscathed: After all, assisted living residents are still frail seniors in a congregate living arrangement and that is where COVID-19 preys.  

“But why the attack? Have there been many allegations of wrongdoing by assisted living providers during the pandemic?” Newcomb asks. “None were mentioned in the Attorney General’s report, despite the fact that she has conducted investigations in some facilities. 

Likewise, there has been barely a mention in the press about the challenges faced by this industry.

On the contrary, despite the Department having imposed virtually all the same mandates on assisted living communities as it has on nursing homes, with virtually no funding assistance, assisted living providers have fought vigorously to protect both their residents and staff.

The Governor also proposes elimination of the only source of modest state funding the state makes available to adult care facilities that serve indigent seniors to make improvements to their buildings and create resident programming. The EQUAL program has been a model where providers and residents work collaboratively to use funds for enhancing the quality of care and services at adult care facilities. 

On behalf of its 300+ provider members, ESAAL calls on the New York State Legislature to reject these amendments and to restore the modest funding that is intended to enhance quality in those residences that serve the poor frail elderly.

About Empire State Association of Assisted Living

Empire State Association of Assisted Living is a not-for-profit organization dedicated to strengthening New York State's assisted living sector and promoting the best interests of providers and residents. Founded in 1979, ESAAL is the only association that exclusively represents the assisted living industry, serving 300 Assisted Living Residences, Adult Homes, Enriched Housing Programs and Assisted Living Programs throughout New York State. These member residences are home to more than 30,000 seniors.

ESAAL in Genesee County

There is one assisted living community in Genesee County in the association:

• LeRoy Manor, with about 80 residents.

Press release:

Congressman Chris Jacobs (NY-27) has cosponsored legislation to require the President to provide a complete account of enacted but unspent COVID-19 funds.

“As Democrats move forward with their unilateral approach to force through a massive $1.9 trillion relief package, I believe it is imperative to know how much funding has already been enacted but remains unspent. That figure could be as high as $1 trillion.

“I agree that more federal assistance is needed to overcome COVID-19, especially for bolstering vaccine distribution, reopening schools, and supporting struggling local governments. However, we need to be targeted and fiscally responsible with our approach to avoid unnecessary spending and costly programs that do not address urgent problems.

“Since such a large amount of funding remains unused, it would be prudent to know what we have or have not spent before enacting additional legislation.

H.Res.127 was introduced by Budget Committee Ranking Member Jason Smith (MO-08) and would require President Biden to provide documents relating to unspent COVID-19 relief funding to Congress within 14 days of its adoption. To date, Congress has enacted over $4 trillion in stimulus funds through several relief packages.

A detainee who had been to an outside medical facility appears to have been the initial source of a COVID-19 outbreak at the Buffalo Federal Detention Facility in Batavia, according to a source familiar with operations of the center. 

So far, 24 inmates have tested positive for COVID but only the initial detainee is symptomatic.  

In the past, Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials have been cooperative in providing information about COVID outbreaks at its facilities but today, a spokesman declined to comment and referred The Batavian to the agency's website, which contains no other information than current statistics. 

According to a source, the one symptomatic patient is isolated from the rest of the detainee population, and the other 23 are in two pods that do not have direct contact with detainees in other pods. The source said the facility continues to follow strict guidelines on personal protective equipment and regular thorough cleaning with bleach.

In April, near the start of the coronavirus pandemic, the detention facility had more than 50 positive cases -- almost all were asymptomatic -- after detainees were transferred there from other facilities. After that initial outbreak, the facility went months without a positive case reported.

The source said officials suspect this outbreak started with a person who had been to an outside medical facility because there have been no recent arrests nor transfers into the facility.

Press release:

Genesee County received 18 new positive cases of COVID-19.

• The new positive cases reside in the:
  • West Region (Alabama, Darien, Pembroke)
  • Central Region (Alexander, Batavia, Bethany, Elba, Oakfield)
  • East Region (Bergen, Byron, Le Roy, Pavilion, Stafford)
  • The individuals are in their 0-19s, 20s, 30s, 40s, 50s and 60s.
  • Eleven of the previous positive individuals has recovered and has been removed from the isolation list.
  • Thirteen of the current positive individuals are hospitalized.
  • Seven of the new positive individuals are inmates at the Buffalo Federal Detention Facility.

• Orleans County received seven new positive cases of COVID-19.

  The positive cases reside in the:

  • West Region (Yates, Ridgeway, Shelby)
  • Central Region (Carlton, Gaines, Albion, Barre)
  • East Region (Kendall, Murray, Clarendon)
  • The individuals are in their 0-19s, 20s, 40s and 60s.
  • Four of the previous positive individuals have recovered and have been removed from the isolation list.
  • Two of the current positive individuals are hospitalized.

Submitted photos and press release:

As part of their Black History Month studies, Byron-Bergen fourth- and fifth-grade students created art projects with, and inspired by, acclaimed Rochester public artist Shawn Dunwoody (on classroom monitor above).

While Dunwoody has visited the school in past years, this year his presentation took place on an online meeting platform to maintain health and safety guidelines during the coronavirus pandemic.

In his presentation to the fourth-grade classes, Dunwoody discussed murals and public art. In his own work, he has used murals to inspire in a variety of community spaces, from donut shops to waterfall viewing platforms.

“The murals I’ve done in communities, I’ve wanted to get people excited about their community,” Dunwoody said. “I want to make people feel good about themselves and the environment they are in.”

Dunwoody then created a collaborative mural design with the students, discussing the artistic process as well as font design and placement. The completed design featured the words “U R Wonderful” in bright colors.

Students then designed their own murals, using Dunwoody’s work as inspiration. Their finished projects included messages of support for environmental and social causes, as well as simple words of kindness such as “You got this,” “Love yourself,” and “You are awesome.”

In a similar presentation to fifth-grade students, Dunwoody discussed his original comic characters, the Legion of Legends, which includes local historical figures Susan B. Anthony, Frederick Douglass and George Eastman. His Legion of characters fight villains like Trinity, a character encompassing racism, miseducation and poverty.

After creating a collaborative character with the fifth-grade classes, students created their own super heroes with special powers to fight for social justice. Among the heroes were those with the powers to fight for freedom and create peace. Their collaborative hero was “Super Miss Stephen” with the power of writing and the ability to make drawings come to life.

Dunwoody’s presentations were part of a Black History Day of Learning organized by fourth-grade teachers Jenna Carney, Colleen Hardenbrook, Alyson Tardy, and fifth-grade teachers Taylor Haupt, Ken Rogoyski, (Super Miss) Kelly Stephen, Diane Taylor, Erin Varley, and Special Education teacher Lisa Haller.

“Shawn uses art to uplift urban communities and discuss social justice,” Tardy said. “I’m extremely excited grateful that he takes the time to share his talents with our students.”

Press release:

Six Flags Darien Lake, the Thrill Capital of New York, is reopening on May 21 based on the coronavirus pandemic guidelines set by the State of New York and its Governor.

The park will unveil extensive safety and security measures including quick and contactless security and temperature checks for guests and team members. Convenient mobile ordering will also be available at many locations. The park is converting to a cash to a card kiosk system, accepting only Mobile and Card Payments to further enhance the safety of guests and team members. 

“We are pleased and energized by the reopening guidelines announced by Governor Cuomo,” said Six Flags Darien Lake President Chris Thorpe. “We have a proven and comprehensive reopening safety plan, and our team is ready to welcome guests back. The safety of our guests and team members remains our number-one priority and the new safety guidelines we have implemented will enhance our safe and fun environment for everyone.”

Virtual Hiring Fairs 

As one of the largest seasonal employers in New York, Six Flags Darien Lake is hiring more than 1,500 team members for the 2021 season. The theme park, water park, and hotel and campground are hiring for all positions, including admissions, culinary services, ride operations, housekeeping, games, lifeguards, park services, security, and retail.

The safety of park guests and employees is always the company’s top priority, and applicants may now apply for jobs in a virtual and contact-free environment. Applications, interviews, and most trainings will all be done virtually; onboarding is contact-free. Interested applicants should apply online at sixflagsjobs.com. 

Health Screenings for Guests and Team Members 

• Contact-less IR thermal imaging will be used to screen temperatures of guests and employees prior to entry; and individuals will be asked if they are healthy and will be required to acknowledge the company’s health policies;
• All guests over the age of two and all team members will be required to wear face masks covering the nose and mouth throughout their visit/work day.
• Any guest without a mask will be able to purchase one at the front gate.

Strictly Enforced Social Distancing 

• Easy to identify distance markers will be added in all park entry, ride, restroom, retail locations, and dining queue lines;
• Dining areas will be adjusted to allow ample space between seated parties;
• Guests will be separated by empty rows and/or seats on all roller coasters, rides, and attractions; 
• Six-foot viewing areas will be marked for guests to observe game play; arcade games will be reconfigured or deactivated to comply with social distancing requirements; 
• Advanced security screenings will enable touchless bag checks;
• Capacity at indoor venues will be reduced to meet social distancing requirements; and 
• Guests viewing outdoor entertainment will be separated by at least six feet.

Extensive Sanitization and Disinfecting Protocols

• Trained and dedicated cleaning teams have been put in place; 
• Increased sanitization and disinfecting of high touch points including all public seating, tabletops, counters, doors, and trash cans will occur frequently; 
• Rides, restraints, and handrails will be cleaned throughout the day; 
• Restroom staff will be stationed to disinfect each stall and sink area on a frequent basis; 
• Multiple hand-washing and alcohol-based hand-sanitizer stations will be located throughout the park; and
• All team member work areas will be regularly sanitized and disinfected. 

Sanitized Food Preparation and Service

• Modified menus and implementation of mobile food ordering will help facilitate touchless transactions;
• Self-service buffets and salad bars will be reconfigured to eliminate guest contact with food;
• Condiments, self-serve cutlery, and napkins will be provided to guests with their meals as required; and
• Beverages will be served by attendants, and guests will receive any drink bottle refills in a paper cup each time they refill. 

Commercial-grade Cleaning Equipment and Supplies

• All employees will be issued Team Member Action Packs which will include: a safety face mask, safety glasses, and disposable gloves; 
• Low pressure backpack sprayers will be utilized for disinfecting large areas;
• Abundant supplies of sanitizers and disinfectants will be available;
• Microfiber cloths will be used to sanitize surfaces; and
• Queue line supplies, fencing, and tents will be in place to promote safe social distancing.

Multilayered Guest and Team Member Communication

• Frontline team members will go through extensive COVID-19 training;
• Safety messaging and reminders on Six Flags’ website, newsletters, in-park announcements, and recorded phone messages will occur frequently;
• Distance markers and physical distance indicators will be in place; and
• Informational safety signage will be posted throughout the park.

Park Reservations System to Manage Attendance

Darien Lake will be operating under state and local guidelines for crowd capacity limits. The park has established attendance caps that will be well below the park’s theoretical capacity to allow for proper social distancing.

All Members, Season Pass holders and all guests with a single-day or group ticket will need to make a reservation at www.sixflags.com/reserve. Guests who need single-day tickets will be able to reserve during the purchase process. The process will take 5-7 minutes, and guests will guests will complete the following steps:

• Enter their online order number, ticket number or Membership/Season Pass number;
• Select the day and the approximate time they want to visit;
• Acknowledge their understanding of the company’s health policy;
• Order prepaid parking if they do not already have a parking pass; and 
• Watch a brief video describing new social distancing and sanitization procedures.

Guests will be contacted electronically (either by email, text or both) the day before their scheduled visit to confirm their intent to visit and their continued healthy status. Guests may cancel their reservation without penalty any time before 8 a.m. (local time) on the day of their scheduled visit. Members and Season Pass Holders will receive booking priority over single-day and group ticket buyers.

Six Flags Darien Lake 2021 Season Passes are now available at the low price of $49.99 each. Gold Plus, Platinum, Diamond, and Diamond Elite Memberships are also available and offer additional benefits. For more information, visit sixflags.com/darienlake.

About Darien Lake

Darien Lake’s wide variety of entertainment and top-notch thrill rides has made it the Thrill Capital of New York since 1964. Located 45 minutes from Niagara Falls between Buffalo and Rochester, today the park boasts more than 50 rides, including seven world-class roller coasters, dozens of family rides, the region’s largest water park and a 20,000-seat amphitheater operated by Live Nation.

The park welcomes overnight guests in a wide range of accommodations—from a full-service hotel and modern cabins to rental RVs, and RV and tent campsites.

Batavia Town Supervisor Greg Post is looking forward to the day when he doesn’t have issue any more “state of emergency” declarations.

In anticipation of the end to what has become a monthly ritual, Post has set up a committee to work on a plan for Town of Batavia operations after the COVID-19 pandemic.

Last week, Post extended the SOE for the town for another month “because of consistency with state and county and national responses to the pandemic.”

He said town officials will be formulating a new process for the utilization of town facilities, including the town hall, highway garage and parks “to address issues related to COVID but will not keep us in a constant state of emergency as we evolve from this both locally and nationally.”

Town Clerk Teressa Morasco, who is leading the committee, said towns and villages across New York are required to have an emergency pandemic plan in place by April 1 – a document outlining protocols and guidelines and the manner in which the municipality expects to conduct day-to-day business.

Joey Neth of the town’s engineering staff and Town Council members Patti Michalak and Sharon White also are on the committee.

Post advised that the town already has implemented numerous measures, such as working remotely and relying heavily on email and the town hall’s drive-through window.

“We’ve established a ‘virtual’ town hall and have been able to save $1 million without reducing efficiency of services,” Post said. “All of our inspections, accounting, plan reviews, assessments, document signing and bill collecting services have continued without interruption.”

The town had planned a $1 million project to design and expand the town hall, but that has been put on the back burner.

“If and when the state of emergency ends, we’re not going back to the way it was,” he said. “We don’t have the staff to check temperatures and we can’t hire more staff. Our plan going forward is to make the operation center more secure and making sure the business of the town gets done as efficiently as possible.”

In other developments, the town board approved the following at its meeting on Wednesday night:

• Resolutions supporting the application of a Community Development Block Grant to replace a 5,300-foot stretch (just over a mile) of water main on Park Road, prior to the Park Road Reconstruction Project scheduled for this summer or fall.

Town Engineer Steve Mountain reported that the town will seek funding from the New York State Office of Community Renewal program to take out the 50-year-old asbestos water main under the roadway that serves Batavia Downs Gaming and other commercial enterprises.

Mountain said the pipe runs along the length of Park Road from Route 63 to the gas station on Park Road, not far from Route 98.

Community Development Block Grants come with requirements that the applying municipality must meet, primarily that 51 percent of the project beneficiaries must qualify as low and/or moderate income. Mountain said a 2018 survey indicates that the town is at 52.95 percent LMI.

A public hearing was held on Wednesday and another one will be scheduled when 75 percent of the work is completed, Mountain said.

Post indicated that the town is hoping to receive the full amount of the water main replacement, estimated to be around $900,000. The board also approved a contract for $5,900 with Municipal Solutions Inc. of Canandaigua and Le Roy to prepare the CDBG application, which is due by March 5.

• A resolution to use a Bond Anticipation Note in an amount not to exceed $460,000 to purchase three high-end maintenance vehicles and apparatus for use by the highway, sewer and water crews.

Post said the BAN will be reviewed – and renewed annually – and he expects the town to realize “substantial saving on the interest rates, which have plummeted, and as a result of our bond ratings that have continue to increase.”

• Establishing a committee to draft guidelines and recommendations pertaining to solar farms, which have been popping up in the town at an increasingly rapid rate in recent months.

Committee members are Council Member Chad Zambito (chair), Dan Lang, Brittany Witkop, Don Partridge, Nancy Brach and Paul McCullough.

Press release:

Congressman Chris Jacobs (NY-27) released the following statement after it was reported last night that the FBI and the Brooklyn U.S. Attorney’s Office have opened an investigation into Governor Cuomo and senior members of his COVID-19 Task Force.

“For weeks, I have called for a full federal investigation into Governor Cuomo and his staff for their actions to cover up the disastrous impacts of the Governor’s directive forcing COVID positive patients back into nursing homes.

This investigation is long overdue but necessary to the grieving families who have been cast aside, smeared, and talked down to by this Governor for simply seeking answers surrounding the death of a loved one.

“I will keep working tirelessly until we have these answers. This investigation should leave no stone unturned and thoroughly examine the deliberate and willful action to withhold information from federal prosecutors and the public. The Governor’s actions represent one of the greatest betrayals of public trust during this pandemic. He must be held accountable."

Press release:

Genesee County received five new positive cases of COVID-19.

• The new positive cases reside in the:
  • West Region (Alabama, Darien, Pembroke)
  • Central Region (Alexander, Batavia, Bethany, Elba, Oakfield)
  • East Region (Bergen, Byron, Le Roy, Pavilion, Stafford)
• The individuals are in their 20s, 40s and 50s. 
• One of the previous positive individuals has recovered and has been removed from the isolation list. 
• Fourteen of the current positive individuals are hospitalized.
• Oneof the new positive individuals is an inmate at the Buffalo Federal Detention center.
• Correction: We retracted one positive resident of the Le Roy Village Green Residential Healthcare Facility that was determined to be a duplicate.

​

Orleans County received five new positive cases of COVID-19. 

• The positive cases reside in the:
  • West Region (Yates, Ridgeway, Shelby)
  • Central Region (Carlton, Gaines, Albion, Barre)
  • East Region (Kendall, Murray, Clarendon)
• The individuals are in their 20s, 30s, 40s and 60s.
• Two of the current positive individuals are hospitalized.
• Orleans is unable to report the number of those who have recovered or the number of active positive cases. This data will be included in tomorrow’s update.

Health Alert

The COVID-19 2^nd Dose Vaccine Clinic scheduled for Friday, Feb. 19, at Genesee Community College in Batavia -- for appointments between 9 a.m. and 1:45 p.m. -- will be rescheduled due to the weather-related delay of vaccine delivery. 

Anyone with an appointment during this time slot will be contacted directly by provided email or phone number to reschedule your appointment next week.

We apologize for the inconvenience.

The Genesee County Health Department

Dan Ireland, President of United Memorial Medical Center

Interview with Charitie Bruning, YMCA Child Care Director. We'll talk about services being offered by the YMCA to families during the coronavirus pandemic.

Genesee County COVID-19 Briefing Feb. 18, 2021

Data Update – 

• Genesee County received 17 new positive cases of COVID-19.
  • The new positive cases reside in the:
    • Central Region (Alexander, Batavia, Bethany, Elba, Oakfield) 
    • East Region (Bergen, Byron, Le Roy, Pavilion, Stafford)
• The individuals are in their 0-19s, 20s, 30s, 40s, 50s and 80s.  
• Eleven of the previous positive individuals have recovered and have been removed from the isolation list.  
• Fifteen of the current positive individuals are hospitalized.
• One of the new positive individuals is a resident of the Le Roy Village Green Residential Healthcare Facility.
• Eleven of the new positive individuals are inmates at the Buffalo Federal Detention center.

Orleans County received three new positive cases of COVID-19.

• The positive cases reside in the:
  • Central Region (Carlton, Gaines, Albion, Barre)
  • East Region (Kendall, Murray, Clarendon)
• The individuals are in their 20s, and 40s.
• Two of the previous positive individuals have recovered and have been removed from the isolation list.
• Two of the current positive individuals are hospitalized.

Press release:

Congressman Chris Jacobs (NY-27) is releasing the following statement after Governor Cuomo’s press conference yesterday and New York State Senate Minority Leader Rob Ortt’s calls for NY Attorney General James to expand the scope of her investigation into Governor Cuomo’s nursing home death cover-up.

“I commend Senate Minority Leader Ortt and the entire minority conference for their tireless pursuit of the truth and their repeated calls for a full investigation. Attorney General James showed courage by releasing the report that has finally gotten grieving New York families closer to closure, but her work is not done yet.

"With the admission from the Governor’s top aide that the administration purposefully withheld information about nursing home deaths from federal officials, Attorney General James should continue her efforts and expand the scope of her investigation.

“The Governor once again tried to shift blame and avoid responsibility in his press conference yesterday, only to be met with a loud and public rebuke from members of his own party. He has proven he is not able to tell the truth or govern responsibly – as such, I am also reaffirming my calls for the Department of Justice to conduct a full criminal investigation into obstruction of justice. The Governor and his staff must be held accountable.

Jacobs has sent two letters, with the entire New York Republican congressional delegation, to the Department of Justice asking for a full and independent federal investigation into Governor Cuomo, (Health) Commissioner (Howard) Zucker, and administration staff.

From Rochester Regional Health:

As cases of COVID-19 are trending downward in our community, Rochester Regional Health is welcoming visitors back to our hospitals seven days a week.

It is because our community and teams continue to follow safety guidelines that we’ve seen a decrease in infections. Please continue to wear your mask, practice hand hygiene and stay socially distanced wherever possible.

It’s also important to get vaccinated when a vaccine is available to you, although current supplies are limited.

Here’s information on how we’re scheduling vaccination appointments for eligible patients, including those with chronic conditions. We also recommend checking the Finger Lakes Vaccination Hub to confirm your eligibility and view vaccination appointments throughout our region.

Looking for COVID-19 testing? Wait times at our Immediate Care locations are now updated live online.