BUFFALO, N.Y. — With COVID-19 numbers across the state remaining low, the percent positive rate in Western New York continues to be the highest in the state.
According to New York Governor Andrew Cuomo's office on Tuesday, the Western New York region has had the highest percent positive rate on Saturday with 1.8 percent, Sunday with 1.1 percent and on Monday, again with 1.8 percent.
For all three days, the percent positives in the Western New York region have been the highest across the state regionally.
The percent of positive test results in the Western New York Region on August 24 was 1.8 percent. There were 84 positive results out of 4,789 total test results for the day. The seven-day moving average of positive tests is now 1.5 percent. One week ago, the moving average was 0.9 percent.
Daily Hospitalizations in the region were 23, unchanged from the day before and just two more than the lowest point for hospitalizations.
On Monday, Governor Cuomo issued Western New York a 'caution flag' because of the increase in cases and rates.
However, University at Buffalo's Chief of Infectious Disease Dr. Thomas Russo said this is not a cause for panic.
"In Western New York we are bit higher than the rest of the state, but we still have a low test positivity rate," said Russo. "We have been ranging from 1.1 percent to 1.4 percent over the last five weeks so that is an encouraging range. We could be doing better but the sky isn't falling and this is not grounds for panic."
Erie County Executive Mark Poloncarz released a statement on Monday regarding the COVID spread across the region, but did not provide details on the increases.
Poloncarz did mention that if cases do continue to rise, it is extremely unlikely that the state will allow Buffalo Bills fans into games this season.
The Erie County Department of Health has not commented on the rise in cases. 2 On Your Side has filed FOIL requests to try and gain more information on where these cases are coming from. We will let you know what information we receive from the county.
Chautauqua County health officials announced Monday that several COVID-19 cases in the county have been related to an employer in Dunkirk. Officials say of the 31 active COVID cases in the county, 21 are related to Fieldbrook Foods Corporation in Dunkirk. According to the Chautauqua County Department of Health and Human Services, 10 of the 15 reported positive cases reported over the weekend were related to Fieldbrook Foods.