BUFFALO, N.Y. — The Western New York region now has one of the highest seven-day averages for positive COVID-19 cases in the state at 6.6 percent. The statewide average is 2.7 percent.
While positive cases dipped in the summer in our region, the positivity rates and case numbers are creeping back up to where they were in April, when a lot of people weren't fully vaccinated yet.
2 On Your Side contacted the health departments in the five-county Western New York COVID-19 region on Wednesday to find out more about the COVID rates in their counties.
Allegany County has the lowest vaccination rate in the state with 52 percent of people 18 and up with at least one dose. In Allegany County, which has the highest case rate in the state right now, the number of cases has more than doubled in just the past two weeks.
The supervising public health educator told us that for the week ending November 7, they had 280 COVID cases. That's more than twice what it was the week ending October 24, when it was 116 cases.
The supervising public health educator also told us that "it is imperative" that Allegany County residents continue wearing masks, follow social distancing protocols when possible, wash their hands, limit social gatherings to small groups if possible, and get vaccinated.
She also says COVID-19 is spreading through family gatherings, low vaccination rates, community events, inside gatherings, parties, and travel. She added that the increase in positive cases is having a negative impact on the county's schools, hospitals, businesses, and communities.
In Erie County, COVID-19 cases have increased about 54 percent in the past two reporting weeks.
And in Niagara County, the health director told us more people getting vaccinated is the easiest way to get the numbers back down.
"If we want to get over this, vaccination is the way to do that. We have thirty people in the hospital right now. Only seven of those people have been vaccinated. Five deaths in the past week. Most of those people had not been vaccinated, so when we look at the benefit of the vaccination, it reduces your chances significantly of death," says Daniel Stapleton, Niagara County Public Health Director.
Here's what the Chautauqua County public health director had to say about the numbers rising there.
"Fewer people are vaccinated, which means a larger number of people are vulnerable to becoming infected. Fewer people are wearing masks. And more people are gathering indoors to eat, to drink, to celebrate and socialize without the social distancing that we had in place before. Of course, you know, it's now November, we're seeing the weather getting colder, and many of us are fearful that we're going to continue to see this increase in cases unless we can get the vaccination rates up," says Christine Schuyler, Chautauqua County Public Health Director.
Schuyler is also concerned about a lack of testing resources in some areas and the stress that these cases are putting on hospitals.
"I was hopeful. We showed a decrease the weeks of October 9 and the 16th, and now here we are again, climbing back up again, and it's just a hardship on the community, it's a hardship on our schools, on our health care providers, and everyone who wants to get back to a normal life, and so many people who act like they are back at a normal life," Schuyler said.
"But for those of us in public health, and health care in general, and in schools, we're not back to normal public life, and we're not going to be as long as everybody isn't on the same page with our exit strategy here."
In Cattaraugus County, the seven-day average is 8.8 percent, which is more than three times the statewide average.
Vaccine clinics are being held throughout Western New York for everyone ages 5 and up.