BUFFALO, N.Y. — Erie County is showing a one-day decrease in COVID-19 hospitalizations.
According to Erie County Executive Mark Poloncarz, hospital data shows a reduction of seven patients on May 12. The county had a 4-day increase in hospitalization prior to May 12.
The county also recorded one in-hospital death. More than half of all patients admitted to hospital were 65 and older.
There are seven benchmarks that need to be met before a region in New York State can even consider reopening.
The Western New York region, which includes Erie County, has met only five.
One category requires a 14-day decline in net hospitalizations (the Western region currently stands at 0), or having less than 15 new hospitalizations on average over three days, and right now our average is 28, as of May 13.
The other metric WNY is not meeting is a 14-day decline in hospital deaths (we've only four days right now), or fewer than five hospital deaths on average over three days, and right now we average nine deaths per day.
"We're headed in the wrong direction," Erie County Executive Mark Poloncarz said glumly during a Wednesday afternoon news briefing.
As of May 14 at 1pm, Erie County has 4,579 confirmed COVID-19 cases and 400 deaths.