The Oswego County Health Department announced that positive COVID-19 cases have fallen for the first time in eight weeks and hospitalizations are cut in half compared to last week.

Counting both lab-confirmed and at-home tests, 276 residents tested positive for the virus from Monday, Aug. 22 through Sunday, Aug. 28. This is down 59 from the previous week. In addition, four Oswego County residents were hospitalized due to COVID-19 between Sunday, Aug. 21 and Saturday, Aug. 27, according to the weekly hospitalization report.

This good news was tempered by a report from the New York State Department of Health that another Oswego County resident died from the virus in the last week, bringing the total number of COVID-19-releated deaths to 202.

“Losing a neighbor is always sad news regardless of any progress we make on the COVID-19 front,” said Oswego County Interim Public Health Director Vera Dunsmoor. “Our heartfelt condolences go out to the family and friends of this person. Going forward, we can honor the neighbors we’ve lost by continuing to work together to limit the spread of COVID-19.”

The following report reflects data collected from Monday, Aug. 22 through Sunday, Aug. 28:

• Number of lab/provider tests: 1,632
• Number of lab/provider positive cases: 221
• Percentage of lab/provider positive cases: 13.54%
• Number of at-home positive test results: 55

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.

Residents can keep their COVID-19 vaccinations up to date at one of the county health department’s weekly vaccination clinics. COVID-19 vaccines are available for children aged 6 months and over as well as adults at the Nick Sterio Public Health Clinic, 70 Bunner St., Oswego.

The clinics run every Tuesday afternoon from 12:30 to 3:30 p.m. by appointment only. An additional clinic runs from 9 to 11 a.m. and 1 to 3 p.m. on the second Wednesday of the month. Walk-ins are accepted on Wednesdays, but people are strongly encouraged to go to health.oswegocounty.com/vaccines to make an appointment to avoid wait times.

The Oswego County Office for the Aging can help those 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.

Earlier this year, 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.

Residents who test positive are encouraged 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.

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 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.