April 25, 2022

OSWEGO COUNTY – The Oswego County Health Department reports that an additional 762 residents tested positive for COVID-19 from Monday, April 18 through Sunday, April 24. This includes results from lab-confirmed tests and at-home tests. In addition, one more COVID-19-related death was reported by the NYS Department of Health, bringing the total to 188.

“The seven-day cumulative case counts have stayed at about the same level as a week ago and the positivity rate remains very high in our county,” said Oswego County Public Health Director Jiancheng Huang. “These two indicators mean that COVID-19 infections in the community are still extremely high. The number of COVID-19 vaccination doses administered in the County last week was lower than the week before, so we continue to encourage residents to get vaccinated at their local pharmacy, primary care provider’s office or a county health department clinic.”

Oswego County’s COVID-19 community level remains ‘high,’ according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). At this level, the CDC and NYSDOH recommend that people wear a mask indoors in public spaces and keep their COVID-19 vaccines up to date. They should also get tested if they experience symptoms and, if they are at a high risk for severe illness, should take additional precautions, such as avoiding poorly ventilated or crowded spaces.

The following report reflects data collected from Monday, April 18 through Sunday, April 24:

  • Number of lab/provider tests: 3,645
  • Number of lab/provider positive cases: 564
  • Percentage of lab/provider positive cases: 15.47%
  • Number of at-home positive test results: 198

An additional 19 Oswego County residents were hospitalized due to COVID-19 between Sunday, April 17 and Saturday, April 23, according to the hospitalization report received by the Oswego County Health Department. New hospitalization numbers are not part of a running total of hospitalizations. For hospitalization details such as age groups and vaccination status, go to the Oswego County COVID-19 Dashboard at https://oswegogis.maps.arcgis.com/apps/dashboards/3fd162cd12264b418dc03bdebd7f5300.

Oswego County Medical Director Christina Liepke, M.D. said, “The CDC Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report released last Friday stated that there were approximately 460,000 COVID-19-related deaths in the U.S. last year. That makes COVID-19 the third-leading cause of death in 2021. This is another important reminder for people to not only get vaccinated, but to keep their vaccinations up to date.” (https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/volumes/71/wr/mm7117e1.htm?s_cid=mm7117e1_w)

The Oswego County Health Department holds vaccination clinics every Tuesday afternoon from 12:30 to 3:30 p.m. by appointment only; and the second Wednesday of each month from 9 to 11 a.m. and 1 to 3 p.m. for walk-in service. Still, to reduce wait times at the County’s vaccination clinics, residents are strongly encouraged to go to health.oswegocounty.com/vaccines to make an appointment.

The Oswego County Office for the Aging can help people aged 60 and older who need help navigating the internet to make appointments. Call 315-349-3484.

Vaccines are also available at local pharmacies and health care provider offices. Face masks are required at all clinics and at-home COVID-19 test kits will be distributed to those getting vaccinated at a County clinic while supplies last.

Free transportation is provided to residents to go to COVID-19 testing and vaccination sites through a partnership between Oswego County and Oswego County Opportunities, Inc. Rides are available between 6 a.m. and 7 p.m. Monday through Friday. Call 315-598-1514 to schedule a ride in advance.

Oswego County developed a portal for residents to report positive at-home COVID-19 test results, exposure to the virus and get the necessary isolation/quarantine paperwork for schools and employers. Go to https://health.oswegocounty.com/COVID-19 and click on the appropriate link.

Test results received from doctor’s offices, pharmacies and other testing sites DO NOT need to be self-reported. However, if isolation orders are needed for school, employers or other reasons, people can request these documents using the portal’s “Report a Positive (Laboratory) Test” option. 

The health department encourages residents who test positive to immediately notify any close contacts. The close contact should then go to the State’s website at https://coronavirus.health.ny.gov/new-york-state-contact-tracing to find out if they meet the criteria for quarantine. If they do, they should report the exposure on the County Health Department’s online portal. 

Residents are urged to continue taking precautions to prevent the spread of COVID-19 including:

  • Get vaccinated and keep your COVID-19 vaccinations up-to-date.
  • Stay home if you are sick and keep your children home if they are sick.
  • Wear a well-fitting mask.
  • Stay six feet from others.
  • Avoid crowds and poorly ventilated spaces.
  • Test to prevent virus spread to others
  • Wash your hands often.
  • Follow recommendations for isolation and quarantine.

For more information, go to the Oswego County Health Department’s COVID-19 page at https://health.oswegocounty.com/COVID-19 or call its COVID-19 Hotline at 315-349-3330. Callers may need to leave a message and a staff member will return the call.

Residents should also contact their medical providers directly for personal medical advice about COVID-19 and vaccinations or booster shots.

For information about emotional supports, visit the Oswego County Department of Social Services Division of Mental Hygiene at www.oswegocounty.com/mentalhygiene.

Under New York State Public Health Law, the Oswego County Health Department is the local public health authority regarding the COVID-19 pandemic response within the County of Oswego. The Oswego County Health Department works closely with New York State Department of Health regarding COVID-19 monitoring, response, and reporting.