The COVID-19 death toll in Warren County rose by five in Friday’s statistics.
For two weeks, the number of new cases has been consistently well below the average during the late November and December surge, but the deaths keep rising.
The Department of Health’s numbers have surpassed those of Warren County Coroner Melissa Zydonik. However, unlike the reporting of COVID deaths – which is based on county of residence, the notification is provided to a coroner based on jurisdiction where the person died.
So, county residents who die in Erie hospitals, for instance, are reported to the Erie County coroner’s office, not to Zydonik.
gbacon@observertoday.com
Before Thursday, Chautauqua County’s Health Department had been under-reporting the number of deaths tied to COVID-19 through no fault of their own.
In its daily update Friday, the county noted that 75 people have died due to complications associated with the virus, adding 23 to the total. “Sadly, deaths from COVID-19 reported today are 23,” the department reported. “These county residents have died over the last few weeks in long term care facilities. COVID-19 cases in long term care facilities are monitored and managed by the New York State Department of Health. Deaths in long term care facilities and hospitals must be reported to the state, not to the county Health Department. Statistics and information is as updated and accurate as possible, based on the information available to us and provided to us.”
bferry@timesobserver.com
There were five COVID-related deaths added to Warren County’s totals on Wednesday, along with 25 new cases.
The death toll is up to 45, according to the Pennsylvania Department of Health. The number could be higher – the reporting is a few days behind as officials work to confirm deaths as COVID-related.
According to the department’s data all five of the people added Wednesday died last month. The department has not yet verified any COVID-related deaths in the county since Dec. 31.
Warren County Coroner Melissa Zydonik reported 50 COVID-related deaths, as of Wednesday.
The total number of cases stood at 1,661 on Wednesday more than 4 percent of the county’s population had been infected.
Over 40 Warren County residents died from COVID-related causes in December.
After starting the month with only one COVID-related death, there were 25 more reported by the Pennsylvania Department of Health and 41 according to the Warren County coroner.
The surge that brought more than 1,100 new cases to the county in a month seems to have swung back down and the county ended 2020 on a positive note in terms of new cases. The daily total of 14 was the lowest in two weeks. There were 12 new cases on Dec. 18. Between those dates, the county set its record for a single day with 80 on Dec. 21.
churst@post-journal.com
Hospitalizations continue to increase as Chautauqua County announced 116 new cases of the coronavirus on Thursday.
As of Wednesday, the county has 534 active cases of COVID-19 and 1,888 remain under quarantine orders from the Department of Health. Thursday’s numbers put the county at 3,681 confirmed cases of the virus since March.
Hospitalizations, meanwhile, increased by three to 48.
Thirty-two new cases were reported in Dunkirk and 30 new cases were reported in Jamestown. Fredonia also has 11 new cases.
Among the over 500 active cases, Jamestown has 145, Dunkirk has 105 and Fredonia has 45. Smaller villages like Lakewood and Westfield also have 19 and 15 active cases, respectively.