Albany County COVID update, December 5

There have been 35,178 confirmed cases of COVID in Albany County since the outbreak began, along with 452 deaths.

ALBANY, N.Y. (NEWS10) — Officials said there have been 35,178 confirmed cases of COVID in Albany County since the outbreak began, with 168 new positive cases identified since Saturday. Also, 115 individuals were cleared as recovered.

With one new COVID death—an Albany County woman in her 60s—the county death toll is 452.

“Sadly I have to report the latest Albany County resident losing their life to COVID complications, and my thoughts and prayers are with the family. This is now the seventh COVID death in the county this month alone, putting us on track for a deadlier month than November,” said County Executive Dan McCoy. “The best way we can protect ourselves, our loved ones and our community is by getting vaccinated, getting a booster shot, wearing masks indoors and staying home if you’re sick.”

There are 708 current active cases in the county, and mandatory quarantine increased to 1,056. The county’s five-day average of new positives is 205.6, and the most recent seven-day average of positivity rate is 6.8%. Meanwhile, the greater Capital Region’s average rate is 8.1%.

As of Saturday, 75.9% of Albany County received at least a first dose of the vaccine, and 68.3% are considered fully vaccinated. Among those 18 and up, the first dose vaccination rate is 85.1%. There were three new hospitalizations since Saturday, totaling 42 county residents currently hospitalized. Seven of those are in the ICU.