Coronavirus Updates for Dec. 30: State Quarantine Guidelines Change; More Deaths Reported in Westchester, Putnam

Coronavirus cases increased by 543 in Westchester County on Tuesday, bringing the total number of positive cases to 67,931 since the start of the pandemic.

The county reported four more deaths, resulting in a total of 1,656 COVID-19-related fatalities since March, according to the state tracker. This week 17 people have died from the virus, state data shows.

There are currently 7,940 active cases, a minor decrease over the previous day, with the daily test positivity rate 6.37 percent. That percentage is based on 8,530 tests taken on Sunday, state data shows. Overall, there have been nearly 1.4 million COVID-19 tests administered in Westchester since March.

As of Dec. 26, there were 392 virus patients in Westchester hospitals.

Putnam County’s total caseload has reached 4,644 according to the state, with 67 additional positive cases recorded on Tuesday. The county’s daily positivity rate is 9.87 percent, with 679 tests administered Sunday, state data shows.

Putnam currently has 775 active cases. 

The county reported one new death on Tuesday, the first in several weeks with no change. The last fatality in Putnam was recorded on Dec. 8. There have been 67 coronavirus-related deaths since the pandemic began, state data shows.

Statewide there were 11,438 new positive cases on Tuesday, according to the state tracker. The daily positivity rate is 7.14 percent.

The state recorded 124 additional COVID-19-related fatalities, bringing the death toll to 29,756 since March.

Total hospitalizations are at 7,814, an increase of 255 over the previous day, according to state data. Across New York there have been 943,990 positive coronavirus cases since the start of the pandemic.

Here are the latest updates on Dec. 30

Weeks after the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reduced its quarantine guidelines from 14 days to 10, Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced on Tuesday that New York will be following suit.

Under the new guidelines, individuals exposed to COVID-19 can end their quarantine after 10 days without a testing requirement if no symptoms have been reported. After day 10 is reached, individuals must continue monitoring for symptoms through day 14, and if any develop, they should immediately self-isolate.

Infected individuals are also advised to contact the local health department or healthcare provider to report the change and determine if testing is needed.

Despite the change, Cuomo implored folks to continue following all recommended safe behaviors to stop the spread of the virus, including wearing masks, socially distancing, and avoiding gatherings. He added that celebrating the holidays safely will prevent any shutdowns from happening.

“While the holidays have always been synonymous with socialization, the data shows vast majority of new cases are stemming from private gatherings. I understand not being able to join together with loved ones makes an already trying year, more difficult, but it also means we control our own destiny,” Cuomo said. “New York is leading the nation in quickly and efficiently administering the vaccine, so if we can continue that progress and the rest of us keep making smart decisions like avoiding gatherings, socially distancing and wearing masks, we will finally reach the light at the end of the tunnel.” 

Westchester Active Coronavirus Cases by Municipality 

Here are the active cases by municipality in Westchester as of Tuesday. 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 – 29
• Bedford – 96
• Briarcliff Manor – 41
• Bronxville – 16
• Buchanan – 15
• Cortlandt – 275
• Croton-on-Hudson – 77
• Dobbs Ferry – 79
• Eastchester – 197
• Elmsford – 64
• Greenburgh – 305
• Harrison – 236
• Hastings-on-Hudson – 40
• Irvington – 31
• Larchmont – 38
• Lewisboro – 54
• Mamaroneck Town – 70
• Mamaroneck Village – 209
• Mount Kisco – 114
• Mount Pleasant – 239
• Mount Vernon – 396
• New Castle – 92
• New Rochelle – 729
• North Castle – 108
• North Salem – 32
• Ossining Town – 34
• Ossining Village – 275
• Peekskill – 289
• Pelham – 63
• Pelham Manor – 59
• Pleasantville – 60
• Port Chester – 334
• Pound Ridge – 15
• Rye Brook – 96
• Rye City – 108
• Scarsdale – 78
• Sleepy Hollow – 122
• Somers – 135
• Tarrytown – 73
• Tuckahoe – 45
• White Plains – 517
• Yonkers – 1,774
• Yorktown – 366

School News & Business Closures 

Business Closures

• 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. Restaurants will reopen on March 15.

School Closures

• Carmel Central School District will transition to remote learning through Jan. 8.
• Brewster Central School District will be on a remote learning schedule through Jan. 8
• White Plains Public School will be on remote learning through Jan. 8
• Greenburgh Central School District has transitioned all schools to remote learning through Jan. 11.
• Mahopac Central School District will transition to virtual learning until January.
• Lakeland Central School District will shift to its fully remote model starting Thursday through Jan. 19.