ALBANY – Albany County officials said five more people were infected with coronavirus as a result of attending a street party on July 4 on Hudson Avenue.
New cases revealed Thursday raised the number of people who contracted the virus to 11 after attending the street party, which drew about 200 college-age people.
On Wednesday, the county expressed concern after receiving 44 new positive cases, which was the largest daily increase in confirmed infections since May 20.
On Wednesday, the Capital Region had the highest percentage of tests that yielded positive results (2.1%) of all New York regions. New York City, by comparison, had 1.3% of people who tested positive.
But the overall count of new cases was much lower Thursday, with 13 new cases, five of which came from the block party.
County leaders pleaded with the partygoers to get tested.
“We would like to encourage anyone who was at that party to get tested and contact the Albany County Health Department at 518-447-4640,” said Dr. Elizabeth Whalen, Albany County Commissioner of Health. . “It is very important for COVID control that we can properly identify and isolate people who test positive as quickly as possible, especially since we know that people in that age group are asymptomatic. Knowing that you are positive empowers you to make decisions positive. “
Albany Mayor Kathy Sheehan chimed in on Twitter after the county press conference and said, “Our entire city, county and region have worked very hard over the past few months to limit COVID’s impacts, however we cannot continue on the path we’re on or we’re going to quickly undo that work. “
“Mask or close (again): It’s as simple as that,” Sheehan wrote.
Coronavirus has been most prevalent in the county among people ages 20-29, a group that often shows no signs of the virus and can easily spread to others, including the sick and elderly who are particularly vulnerable.
Whalen said officials fear the party’s cases will eventually spread to people at risk, which could lead to an increase in hospitalizations.
“You don’t want someone who is very sick to say you were the contact,” Whalen said. “Please think of others.”
The busy meeting raised concern this week that college students returning for the fall semester regularly attend off-campus parties in the student-favored neighborhood of the city.
The county also announced that four health workers tested positive for the virus, including two employees at the county’s nursing home, Shaker Place in Colonie.
Overall, nursing home cases are on the rise in the Capital Region after a break of several weeks. The Riverside Center for Rehabilitation and Nursing in Castleton-on-Hudson had 30 residents who tested positive for the virus last week, along with 11 staff members. Four other health workers in Rensselaer County at Living Resources and Evergreen Commons also tested positive Tuesday.
