January 24, 2023
Albany, NY

Governor Hochul Updates New Yorkers on State's Progress Combating COVID-19

Governor Encourages New Yorkers to Keep Using the Tools to Protect Against and Treat COVID-19: Vaccines, Boosters, Testing and Treatment

85 Statewide Deaths Reported from January 21 to January 23

Governor Kathy Hochul today updated New Yorkers on the state's progress combatting COVID-19 and outlined basic steps they can take to protect against the spread of viral respiratory infections during the winter season.

"As respiratory illnesses including COVID-19 continue to circulate in our state, New Yorkers should remain vigilant and continue to use all available tools to keep themselves, their loved ones and their communities safe and healthy," Governor Hochul said. "Be sure to stay up to date on vaccine doses, and test before gatherings or travel. If you test positive, talk to your doctor about potential treatment options."

Governor Hochul is urging New Yorkers to take common prevention measures — like staying up to date on vaccines and practicing proper hygiene — to protect from the flu and COVID-19 and reduce the patient burden on local hospitals. The Governor reiterated these basic steps when she updated New Yorkers on the state's winter health preparedness efforts last month.

Recently, the New York State Department of Health announced that the XBB.1.5. variant is now the most dominant strain in New York, accounting for more than 50 percent of COVID-19 infections statewide. Emerging at a time when both COVID-19 and flu cases remain high, early data indicates that XBB.1.5. is more transmissible than other circulating variants, though there is not yet clear evidence of significant changes to virulence or severity of disease.

The New York State Department of Health's weekly flu surveillance report for the week ending January 14, shows influenza remaining widespread throughout the state for a fifteenth consecutive week, with a total of 300,907 positive cases across all 62 counties reported to date. The report found that confirmed cases statewide dropped 50 percent, while overall hospitalizations were down 52 percent from the previous week, with the week, at 798 hospitalizations across the state.

Additionally, there were 13 outbreaks in acute care and long-term care facilities, the report determined. There were two additional pediatric deaths, leaving the total at eight statewide.

With flu season continuing and infections remaining widespread, Governor Hochul encourages all New Yorkers to get their annual flu vaccine. The flu virus and the virus that causes COVID-19 are both circulating, so getting vaccinated against both is the best way to stay healthy and to avoid added stress to the health care system.

The Health Department is continuing its annual public education campaign, reminding adults and parents to get both flu and COVID-19 shots for themselves and children 6 months and older. For information about flu vaccine clinics, contact the local health department or visit vaccines.gov/find-vaccines/.

Governor Hochul also continues to urge New Yorkers to get their bivalent COVID-19 vaccine boosters. Last month, the New York State Department of Health announced new guidance for bivalent COVID-19 booster doses, which are now available for eligible children down to 6 months of age.

The updated boosters are the first to be targeted to the original virus strain and recently circulating variants and are recommended for young New Yorkers and all those eligible. To schedule an appointment for a booster, New Yorkers should contact their local pharmacy, county health department, or healthcare provider; visit vaccines.gov; text their ZIP code to 438829, or call 1-800-232-0233 to find nearby locations.

Today's data is summarized briefly below:

  • Cases Per 100k - 14.66
  • 7-Day Average Cases Per 100k - 17.84
  • Test Results Reported - 37,107
  • Total Positive - 2,865
  • Percent Positive - 7.22%**
  • 7-Day Average Percent Positive - 6.53%**
  • Patient Hospitalization - 3,138 (-35)
  • Patients Newly Admitted - 1,037*
  • Patients in ICU - 306 (-31)
  • Patients in ICU with Intubation - 113 (-17)
  • Total Discharges - 392,881 (+932)*
  • New deaths reported by healthcare facilities through HERDS - 85*
  • Total deaths reported by healthcare facilities through HERDS - 61,142*

** Due to the test reporting policy change by the federal Department of Health and Human Services and several other factors, the most reliable metric to measure virus impact on a community is the case per 100,000 data -- not percent positivity.

The Health Electronic Response Data System is a NYS DOH data source that collects confirmed daily death data as reported by hospitals, nursing homes and adult care facilities only.

Important Note: Effective Monday, April 4, the federal Department of Health and Human Services is no longer requiring testing facilities that use COVID-19 rapid antigen tests to report negative results. As a result, New York State's percent positive metric will be computed using only lab-reported PCR results. Positive antigen tests will still be reported to New York State and reporting of new daily cases and cases per 100k will continue to include both PCR and antigen tests. Due to this change and other factors, including changes in testing practices, the most reliable metric to measure virus impact on a community is the case per 100,000 data -- not percent positivity.

  • Total deaths reported to and compiled by the CDC - 77,716

This daily COVID-19 provisional death certificate data reported by NYS DOH and NYC to the CDC includes those who died in any location, including hospitals, nursing homes, adult care facilities, at home, in hospice and other settings.

Each region's 7-day average of cases per 100K population is as follows:

Region

Saturday, January 21, 2023

Sunday, January 22, 2023

Monday, January 23, 2023

Capital Region

13.76

13.76

14.15

Central New York

14.76

14.61

15.11

Finger Lakes

10.76

10.87

11.52

Long Island

18.29

18.19

17.95

Mid-Hudson

22.09

21.86

21.71

Mohawk Valley

15.93

16.34

17.10

New York City

20.10

19.64

19.77

North Country

13.33

13.43

13.13

Southern Tier

12.39

12.46

12.16

Western New York

12.80

12.72

13.57

Statewide

17.92

17.69

17.84

Each region's 7-day average percentage of positive test results reported over the last three days is as follows**:

Region

Saturday, January 21, 2023

Sunday, January 22, 2023

Monday, January 23, 2023

Capital Region

7.69%

7.54%

7.52%

Central New York

7.66%

7.65%

7.61%

Finger Lakes

6.15%

6.19%

6.43%

Long Island

5.80%

5.66%

5.62%

Mid-Hudson

7.13%

7.05%

7.97%

Mohawk Valley

9.10%

9.32%

9.47%

New York City

5.99%

5.86%

5.80%

North Country

6.87%

6.97%

7.03%

Southern Tier

6.83%

6.81%

6.80%

Western New York

11.90%

11.84%

12.19%

Statewide

6.53%

6.43%

6.53%

** Due to the test reporting policy change by the federal Department of Health and Human Services and several other factors, the most reliable metric to measure virus impact on a community is the case per 100,000 data -- not percent positivity.

Each New York City borough's 7-day average percentage of positive test results reported over the last three days is as follows **:

Borough in NYC

Saturday, January 21, 2023

Sunday, January 22, 2023

Monday, January 23, 2023

Bronx

7.12%

6.99%

7.13%

Kings

5.08%

4.97%

4.95%

New York

6.01%

5.89%

5.78%

Queens

7.08%

6.92%

6.65%

Richmond

5.98%

5.70%

5.73%

** Due to the test reporting policy change by the federal Department of Health and Human Services and several other factors, the most reliable metric to measure virus impact on a community is the case per 100,000 data -- not percent positivity.

Yesterday, 2,865 New Yorkers tested positive for COVID-19 in New York State, bringing the total to 6,540,475. A geographic breakdown is as follows:

County

Total Positive

New Positive

Albany

77,943

40

Allegany

10,703

1

Broome

58,109

24

Cattaraugus

19,091

6

Cayuga

20,208

13

Chautauqua

29,114

17

Chemung

26,403

5

Chenango

11,709

1

Clinton

22,263

8

Columbia

13,620

4

Cortland

13,166

9

Delaware

10,062

2

Dutchess

83,970

70

Erie

266,111

126

Essex

7,568

2

Franklin

11,953

3

Fulton

16,449

12

Genesee

16,435

3

Greene

10,833

4

Hamilton

1,089

-

Herkimer

17,288

17

Jefferson

26,756

30

Lewis

7,263

1

Livingston

14,246

7

Madison

16,634

8

Monroe

189,955

73

Montgomery

14,909

10

Nassau

544,439

190

Niagara

58,951

25

NYC

3,054,638

1,344

Oneida

68,406

47

Onondaga

141,159

60

Ontario

25,901

13

Orange

138,427

79

Orleans

10,434

8

Oswego

34,214

17

Otsego

13,164

5

Putnam

31,300

10

Rensselaer

41,310

17

Rockland

117,811

67

Saratoga

60,873

21

Schenectady

43,196

20

Schoharie

6,529

-

Schuyler

4,298

1

Seneca

7,591

3

St. Lawrence

26,012

7

Steuben

25,116

4

Suffolk

563,419

158

Sullivan

24,340

9

Tioga

13,911

-

Tompkins

26,239

8

Ulster

42,681

20

Warren

18,710

9

Washington

15,590

5

Wayne

21,685

12

Westchester

332,009

198

Wyoming

9,859

9

Yates

4,413

3

Below is data that shows how many hospitalized individuals who have tested positive for COVID-19 were admitted for COVID-19/COVID-19 complications and how many were admitted for non-COVID-19 conditions:

Region

COVID-19 Patients currently hospitalized

Admitted due to COVID or complications of COVID

% Admitted due to COVID or complications of COVID

Admitted where COVID was not included as one of the reasons for admission

% Admitted where COVID was not included as one of the reasons for admission

Capital Region

154

100

64.9%

54

35.1%

Central New York

115

55

47.8%

60

52.2%

Finger Lakes

296

96

32.4%

200

67.6%

Long Island

549

225

41.0%

324

59.0%

Mid-Hudson

376

140

37.2%

236

62.8%

Mohawk Valley

67

34

50.7%

33

49.3%

New York City

1,294

533

41.2%

761

58.8%

North Country

55

31

56.4%

24

43.6%

Southern Tier

63

13

20.6%

50

79.4%

Western New York

169

75

44.4%

94

55.6%

Statewide

3,138

1,302

41.5%

1,836

58.5%

The Omicron variant now represents more than 95% of the viruses in circulation. For more information on variant tracking, please visit here: COVID-19 Variant Data | Department of Health (ny.gov).

From Saturday, January 21 to Monday, January 23, there were 85 total new deaths reported due to COVID-19, bringing the total to 61,142. A geographic breakdown is as follows, by county of residence:

County

New Deaths

Albany

1

Bronx

6

Broome

2

Cayuga

1

Chemung

1

Clinton

1

Dutchess

1

Erie

4

Fulton

1

Herkimer

1

Kings

13

Monroe

2

Nassau

10

New York

6

Niagara

1

Oneida

4

Ontario

2

Queens

11

Rensselaer

2

Richmond

3

Rockland

1

Suffolk

6

Sullivan

1

Ulster

1

Warren

1

Westchester

2

Grand Total

85

Important Note: HERDS data collection from health care facilities is not currently required on weekends or holidays. Where noted, totals include three days of cumulative data from 01/21/2023-01/23/2023. As a result, some data may appear higher than recent trends. Data affected is marked with an asterisk.

New Yorkers looking to schedule vaccine appointments for 5-11-year-old children are encouraged to contact their child's pediatrician, family physician, county health departments, Federally Qualified Health Centers, rural health centers, or pharmacies that may be administering the vaccine for this age group. Parents and guardians can visit vaccines.gov, text their ZIP code to 438829, or call 1-800-232-0233 to find nearby locations. Make sure that the provider offers the Pfizer-BioNTechCOVID-19 vaccine, as the other COVID-19 vaccines are not yet authorized for this age group.

Visit our website for parents and guardians for new information, frequently asked questions and answers, and resources specifically designed for parents and guardians of this age group.

Contact the Governor’s Press Office

Contact us by phone:

Albany: (518) 474 - 8418
New York City: (212) 681 - 4640

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