5 officials – perhaps more – infected with COVID-19 following counties conference – Times Union

COLONIE Counties have been on the frontlines during the pandemic, implementing mask mandates, coordinating testing and vaccinations and tracing the virus virulent path through their populations.

Now an annual gathering of county officials appears to have lit the fuse on a fresh round of infections rocketing through their ranks.

At least three elected officials have tested positive for COVID-19 following the New York State Association of Counties annual conference at the The Desmond Hotel in Colonie last week including Albany County Executive Dan McCoy, who announced his diagnosis on Saturday.

Two other officials Essex County Board of Supervisors Chairman Shaun Gillilland and Moriah Town Supervisor Tom Scozzafava told the Times Union they tested positive following the event which wrapped last Wednesday.

Gillilland confirmed he learned of two additional infections on Sunday, bringing the total of known cases up to five.

A who's who of the state's top-ranking politicians addressed attendees during the three-day event, including Gov. Kathy Hochul, state Attorney General Letitia James and state Comptroller Thomas DiNapoli.

McCoy informed NYSAC following his diagnosis, according to a spokeswoman, Mary Rozak. Hes not aware of other attendees who contracted the virus, Rozak said.

Previous tests revealed the county executive had antibodies against the virus, an indiction that he had already contracted COVID-19. Rozak said that exposure and infection were likely the result of McCoy's packed travel schedule prior to the pandemic's U.S. onset in early-2020.

NYSAC Executive Director Stephen J. Acquario wished McCoy a speedy recovery on behalf of the advocacy group and said the organization has notified attendees to encourage them to monitor their health symptoms and take appropriate precautions.

NYSAC has not been contacted by any other county official or conference attendee who has tested positive for the virus, said Acquario, who urged those who do test positive to follow the guidelines for tracing, isolation and quarantining measures.

We are now in the 25th month of COVID and our county leaders have been at the forefront of protecting the health and well-being of the public, Acquario said. Lets use this as an opportunity and reminder as concerts, sporting events and conventions return, that we may be done with COVID but COVID isnt done with us. New Yorkers should get vaccinated, boosted, and to take all other recommended health precautions.

"We are not aware of any staff testing positive prior to or since the NYSAC event," a spokeswoman for The Desmond said Sunday evening.

The potential outbreak comes as the virus is waning across the U.S. and local, state and federal regulations have largely been scrapped.

Statewide, the number of hospitalizations are at their lowest levels since Aug. 3, according to the governors office. The state logged 12 deaths on Saturday. Statewide, the seven-day average for positive infections is 1.87 percent slightly lower than the Capital Regions 2.52 percent.

But two months after the omicron variant propelled caseloads to record-breaking levels, scientists and public health experts are warily eyeing the emergence of a more contagious subvariant of omicron, known as BA.2, from Western Europe.

"Case numbers are still dropping nationally, but BA.2 accounts for a growing proportion of those infections, rising to almost one-quarter of new cases last week," the New York Times reported on Saturday. "The subvariant is estimated to be 30 to 50 percent more contagious than the previous version of Omicron, BA.1."

Fewer than half of Americans who have received primary vaccine doses have received booster shots, according to the New York Times, placing the nation more at risk in the event of another surge.

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5 officials - perhaps more - infected with COVID-19 following counties conference - Times Union