Erie County, NY Department of Health » ERIE COUNTY DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH PROVIDES COVID-19 DATA UPDATE FOR WEEK ENDING JULY 31, 2021

ERIE COUNTY DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH PROVIDES COVID-19 DATA UPDATE FOR WEEK ENDING JULY 31, 2021

Modified: August 3, 2021 1:30pm

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08/03/2021

ERIE COUNTY DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH PROVIDES COVID-19 DATA UPDATE FOR WEEK ENDING JULY 31, 2021

ERIE COUNTY, NY – The Erie County Department of Health (ECDOH) is providing an update on COVID-19 data. For the week ending July 31, 2021, ECDOH received reports for 535 new COVID-19 cases among Erie County residents; this is an 80% increase from the previous week’s total of 297 cases, and a ten-fold increase in the past six weeks. The COVID-19 case rate of 58.2 cases per 100,000 residents in the past seven days for the week ending July 31 is an increase from the previous week’s case rate of 32.4. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) set a case rate threshold of 50-99 for a community to be considered to have “substantial transmission.”

34% of new COVID-19 cases last week were in city of Buffalo residents, which is similar to recent weeks. 36 ZIP codes had 5 or more new COVID-19 cases last week, which indicates a community-wide increase in COVID-19 transmission.

Overall diagnostic testing reports remain low, but there was a slight increase in diagnostic tests last week for the third consecutive week, with 16,091 tests reported. 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.           

Last week was the third consecutive week of increased COVID-19 case totals, though the weekly total is still well below the weekly case totals experiences last winter and spring. New COVID-19 cases continue to be highest within the 20-29 and 30-39 age groups. 40% of reported COVID-19 cases were between 20 and 39 years old. The seven-day case rate for 100,000 people for the 20-29-year-old age group (104) and 30-39-year-old age group (81.4) were both significantly higher than the overall seven-day case rate for Erie County (58.2).

COVID-19 cases in youth ages 17 and younger more than doubled last week from the previous week from 43 cases to 98 cases. Many of these youth cases participated in summer programs at camps, schools and child care facilities, which led to several hundred quarantine orders being issued and the voluntary temporary closure of several programs. Though still far fewer than the youth cases recorded during last winter and spring, the ECDOH Office of Epidemiology is monitoring COVID-19 cases among youth as the school year approaches.

With 40 COVID-19 hospitalizations reported in Erie County hospitals for August 2, 2021, hospitalized COVID-19 patients in Erie County have been slowly increasing. [See chart at end of release].

ECDOH is reporting COVID-19 mortality data. ECDOH received reports of two deaths associated with COVID-19 in the past seven days. Total COVID-19-related deaths from March 2020 to July 29, 2021 now stand at 1,930, with 654 reported in 2021. Of the 192 reported COVID-19 associated deaths in April, May and June 2021 through July 29, 95% (182) of these deaths were in persons who were not fully vaccinated against COVID-19 prior to infection.

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. From NYSDOH data, as of August 2, 2021, 72.1% of adults ages 18 and older have at least one dose of COVID-19 vaccine. 44.8% of 12-15-year-olds and 51.6% of 16-17-year-olds in Erie County have at least one vaccine dose.

  

Erie County residents, % population vaccinated by age group as of August 2, 2021 (at least one dose)

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.

Chart: Erie County Hospitalization Data, last four weeks (June 23-August 1, 2021)

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

 

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