Coronavirus Updates for Dec. 10: Over 570 Cases, Six More Deaths Reported in Westchester County

Westchester County reported 575 more cases of coronavirus on Wednesday as area deaths from the virus grew by six, state data shows.

Westchester has seen 56,372 total cases of COVID-19 and 1,545 virus-related deaths since the beginning of the pandemic in March. The recent uptick in deaths is a stark change compared to July and August when a combined 11 deaths were reported.

This week alone 16 people have died from the virus, according to state data.

As the death toll rises as does active coronavirus cases within Westchester. On Wednesday, there were 8,408 active cases, with a 6.05 percent daily positivity rate.

That percentage is based on 9,502 tests taken on Tuesday, state data shows. Overall, there have been nearly 1.2 million COVID-19 tests administered in Westchester since March.

As of Monday, there were just over 300 virus patients in Westchester hospitals.

Putnam County’s total caseload has reached 3,489, according to the state, with 61 additional positive cases recorded on Wednesday. The county’s daily positivity rate is 8.45 percent of 722 tests, state data shows.

Putnam County currently has 926 active cases.

There have been 66 coronavirus-related deaths in Putnam. No new deaths were reported on Wednesday.

Statewide there were 10,600 new positive cases on Wednesday, according to the state tracker. The daily positivity rate is now 5.44 percent.

The state recorded 95 additional COVID-19-related fatalities, bringing the death toll to 27,404 since March.

Total hospitalizations are at 4,993, an increase of 158 over the previous day, according to state data. Across the state there has been a total of 733,065 positive coronavirus cases since the start of the pandemic.

Here are the latest updates on Dec. 10

Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced on Wednesday that New York could receive its initial allocation of 170,000 Pfizer COVID-19 vaccines as soon as this weekend, with more to follow in the coming weeks.

Cuomo explained the state’s vaccination distribution effort will focus on battling skepticism, outreach to disenfranchised communities and an expedited distribution. Cuomo’s plan currently prioritizes high-risk healthcare workers, nursing home residents and staff to receive the vaccine first.

High risk hospital groups will include emergency room employees, ICU staff and pulmonary department workers, Cuomo said.

Other long-term and congregate care staff and residents, along with EMS and other health care works will follow. Essential workers and the general population, starting with those who are considered the highest risk, will be vaccinated after these initial priority groups, the governor said.

Cuomo added that Pfizer’s vaccine is expected to be approved by the FDA today, with a selected panel in New York assigned to review it and approve it prior to distribution.

“Distributing the vaccine is a massive undertaking,” Cuomo said. “I can’t think of a government operation that has been commenced that is more difficult and intricate than what governments will be asked to do here.”

With the state opting into the federal government’s nursing home vaccination program, CVS and Walgreens employees will first vaccinate residents and staff in facilities, like what they do with the flu vaccine, Cuomo said. The state will then issue guidance for hospitals to select which patient-facing staff should be prioritized as high risk.

If the vaccine is authorized by the FDA, Cuomo said the first injections of Pfizer’s vaccines for nursing homes could begin on Dec. 21.

School News & Business Closures 

Business Closures

• Pour in Mount Kisco has closed temporarily after an employee signaled he may have been exposed to COVID-19. All employees will be tested for the virus while the restaurant undergoes a necessary cleaning process.
• In Peekskill, Factoria, River Outpost, and Fin & Brew will be closed for the winter out of an abundance of caution with coronavirus cases rapidly increasing locally.

School Closures

• Carmel High School will transition to remote learning through Jan. 8, with the remaining Carmel Central School District buildings beginning remote learning Dec. 14 to Jan. 8.
• Greenburgh Central School District has transitioned all schools to remote learning through Dec. 21, for now.
• Peekskill City School District will close and shift to virtual learning through Jan. 4.
• White Plains Public Schools transition to remote learning through Dec. 14.
• All students in 6 East, Hybrid One and Two at Fox Lane Middle School will learn remotely at home through Dec. 15th.
• All students in 8S, Hybrid One and Two at Fox Lane Middle School will learn remotely for the rest of the week.

Westchester Active Coronavirus Cases by Municipality 

Here are the active cases by municipality in Westchester as of Wednesday. With a lag between the total number of cases confirmed by the state and the tally of cases by town, the total number of municipal cases might be slightly different than what the county’s active cases reflects.

• Ardsley – 34
• Bedford – 146
• Briarcliff Manor – 46
• Bronxville – 42
• Buchanan – 12
• Cortlandt – 157
• Croton-on-Hudson – 41
• Dobbs Ferry – 63
• Eastchester – 146
• Elmsford – 45
• Greenburgh – 219
• Harrison – 164
• Hastings-on-Hudson – 21
• Irvington – 32
• Larchmont – 23
• Lewisboro – 84
• Mamaroneck Town – 41
• Mamaroneck Village – 166
• Mount Kisco – 146
• Mount Pleasant – 163
• Mount Vernon – 276
• New Castle – 57
• New Rochelle – 533
• North Castle – 76
• North Salem – 36
• Ossining Town – 30
• Ossining Village – 225
• Peekskill – 228
• Pelham – 51
• Pelham Manor – 29
• Pleasantville – 41
• Port Chester – 235
• Pound Ridge – 21
• Rye Brook – 48
• Rye City – 99
• Scarsdale – 66
• Sleepy Hollow – 74
• Somers – 107
• Tarrytown – 61
• Tuckahoe – 18
• White Plains – 431
• Yonkers – 1,141
• Yorktown – 225

If your business or school district may have been exposed to COVID-19, please email ayoung@theexaminernews.com to be placed on our daily COVID-19 list.