Erie County, NY Department of Health » ERIE COUNTY DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH PROVIDES COVID-19 DATA UPDATE FOR WEEK ENDING AUGUST 28, 2021

ERIE COUNTY DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH PROVIDES COVID-19 DATA UPDATE FOR WEEK ENDING AUGUST 28, 2021

Modified: August 31, 2021 3:38pm

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08/31/2021

ERIE COUNTY DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH PROVIDES COVID-19 DATA UPDATE FOR WEEK ENDING AUGUST 28, 2021

ERIE COUNTY, NY – The Erie County Department of Health (ECDOH) is providing an update on COVID-19 data. For the week ending August 28, 2021, ECDOH received reports for 1,087 new COVID-19 cases among Erie County residents. With an 11% increase from the previous week’s total of 983, a steady increase in new COVID-19 cases continues.

The COVID-19 case rate of 114 cases per 100,000 residents in the past seven days for the week ending August 28 is an increase from the previous week’s case rate of 103. [Note: last week’s rate was calculated using 2020 U.S. Census population data. Case rates by age and ZIP code will be calculated with 2010 U.S. Census data until the full 2020 data set is available.] The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) set a case rate threshold of 100 or more for a community to be considered to have “high transmission.”

36% of new COVID-19 cases last week were among city of Buffalo residents, similar to recent weeks. 21 ZIP codes had seven-day case rates of more than 100 new cases per 100,000 persons, indicating “high” transmission according to CDC indicators. The 14212 (Buffalo/[Broadway/Sloan]) and 14004 (Alden) ZIP codes had the highest seven-day case rates per 100,000 people with 207 and 205, respectively. Case investigated in these ZIP codes included family and household clusters.

Total diagnostic COVID-19 test reports increased slightly to nearly 30,000 tests last week. ECDOH and health care providers within Erie County still have substantial diagnostic testing capacity. People who are experiencing COVID-19 symptoms, regardless of vaccination status, should strongly consider a diagnostic COVID-19 test. Free tests are available through ECDOH by calling 716-858-2929 to schedule an appointment. Based on increased demand for diagnostic testing, ECDOH has expanded testing dates and times for Erie County residents to Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. – 4 p.m. and Saturday 8 a.m. – 12 p.m. Appointments are required for COVID-19 testing.      

Case counts were highest in the 20-29 age group last week. The seven-day case rate per 100,000 persons was highest for the 20-29 and 30-39-year-old age groups, at 199 and 172, respectively.

The largest increase in new cases in the past two weeks occurred in the 18-22-year-old age group, which increased 70% last week from the previous week, from 61 to 103 cases. ECDOH is monitoring this closely as local colleges and universities welcome students for the fall semester.

The 5-10 and 11-13-year-old age groups had the highest weekly positivity rates, with 6.4% and 7.7%, respectively. These data are provided with the comment that pediatric age groups tend to have lower overall testing totals than adult age groups.

With 104 COVID-19 hospitalizations reported in Erie County hospitals on August 29, 2021, the number of patients admitted to Erie County hospitals with COVID-19 continues to increase, including patients admitted with COVID-19 to the ICU.  [See chart at end of release].

ECDOH is reporting COVID-19 mortality data. ECDOH received reports of nine deaths associated with COVID-19 in the past seven days. Total COVID-19-related deaths from March 2020 to August 26, 2021 now stand at 1,957, with 681 reported in 2021. Of the 219 reported COVID-19 associated deaths during April 1 through August 26, 2021, 92% (202) of these deaths were among persons who were not fully vaccinated against COVID-19 prior to infection. Since July 1, 2021, the average age among Erie County COVID-19 related deaths who were not fully vaccinated prior to infection was 10 years younger (70 years old) compared to those COVID-19 related deaths who were fully vaccinated prior to infection (80 years old).

With data compiled by the ECDOH epidemiology office and based on 2020 U.S. Census population estimates, 69.3% of Erie County residents ages 18 and older have received at least one COVID-19 vaccine dose, and 65.4% of Erie County residents ages 18 and older have completed a vaccine series. Additional data, including vaccination estimates by ZIP code, are posted to the ECDOH web site. NYSDOH also updates vaccination data by demographics, by county and by ZIP code.

ECDOH has an active schedule of COVID-19 vaccine clinics, listed at www.erie.gov/vax, and will also vaccinate any eligible Erie County resident at their home. Call (716) 858-2929 for the “Vax Visit” program. ECDOH encourages Erie County residents who are not fully vaccinated to begin their COVID-19 vaccine series. COVID-19 vaccination is especially important for youth and families attending school or child care. Third COVID-19 vaccine doses for people with moderately or severely immunocompromising conditions are available at any Erie County COVID-19 vaccine clinic.

Chart: Erie County Hospitalization Data, last two weeks (August 14-29, 2021)

Data Sources: New York State Department of Health and Erie County hospitals

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