BUFFALO, N.Y. — There is hopeful news to report in regards to the latest Erie County COVID-19 data made public in the county's weekly briefing Tuesday.
Erie County Executive Mark Poloncarz said it looks like the county is starting to come out of, what was considered to be, the spike attributed to the Christmas and New Year's holidays.
On Sunday, January 10, 381 patients were being treated in Erie County for the virus, the lowest number in three weeks. The number of those in the ICU or on an airway assist during those same three weeks remains steady.
The seven day positivity rate as of January 10 is also trending down at 6.7 percent. Sadly on that same day, seven people succumbed to the virus, raising the death toll from COVID-19 so far in 2021 to 64.
Poloncarz also talked about on-going discussions with the state, including Governor Andrew Cuomo, on the current Orange Zone status for most of Erie County. The county executive hopes Erie County's numbers will allow a move back to a Yellow Zone soon. He added he continues to believe it's unfair that the more restrictive status remains while other parts of the state with worse COVID-19 numbers than Erie County are not designated an Orange Zone. He said Governor Cuomo assured Poloncarz he would look into it.