Rockland COVID-19: Ed Day targets hardest-hit areas – The Journal News

Following days of rising infection rates among those tested for COVID-19, Rockland's county executiveand health commissioner on Wednesday reached out tomunicipal and community leaders in areas hardest hit by the coronavirus.

A statement from County Executive Ed Day didn't mention specific communities by name, but the ZIP codes that include Spring Valley and Monsey comprise 159 of the 295 active COVID-19 cases listed on the county's dashboard.

Snapshot of Rockland's COVID-19 dashboard showing testing and new infections.(Photo: Rockland County)

Day and Commissioner of Health Dr. Patricia Ruppert were on a conference call with leaders from the unnamed areas"to discuss prevention efforts we can all take to protect Rockland residents," Day stated. "We were pleased to hear of many efforts that were already underway and pledged to continue to work together to stop the further spread of this disease."

ROCKLAND:Infection rate for COVID-19 tests tops region, state averages

Day's efforts came after Rockland's COVID-19 test infection rate once again rose well above the state and region's rates, and the county'scoronavirus dashboard on Wednesday listed 295 active cases up from 272 listed on Monday.

Rockland had 43 positives among the1,135 COVID-19 tests reported Wednesday for a rate of nearly 3.8%. That's an increase over the 2.3% testing positive the previous day.

By comparison, New York state's overall testing results came back with only0.87%positive, and the mid-Hudson region that includes Rockland had 1.4% positive cases.

Orange County turned up 35 new positivesamong 816 tests for a rate of nearly 4.3%

Westchester had 33 new positives among 4,896 tests for a rate ofunder 1%.

Rockland County's overall rate of positive tests during the pandemicis 9.7%.

COVID-19 hospitalizations in Rockland remained at six, with two cases under investigation.

Rockland County Executive Ed Day photographed outside the Allison-Parris County Office Building in New City on Tuesday, August 25, 2020. (Photo: John Meore/The Journal News)

The county executive said the low hospitalization rate showed "that the people who are testing positive are thankfully not seriously ill. However, we are seeing more positive tests now than in recent weeks. We must not allow a repeat of what this County went through earlier in the year."

Dayadded: "This disease is deadly, but it is also largely preventable. I am once again urging residents to remain vigilant and continue taking the precautions which helped us flatten the curve in the first place. Please maintain social distance, wear a mask if you are unable to stay six feet apart and wash your hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds."

Here are the ZIP codes with 10 or more active coronavirus cases:

Robert Brum is a Rockland County-based reporter and editor. For subscriber-only Rockland County news, visit offers.lohud.com to sign up for a subscription. To subscribe to The Rockland Angle, a nightly email newsletter exclusively for Rockland County news, features and other essential information, visit lohud.com/newsletters, check the Rockland Angle box and submit your email address.

Twitter: @Bee_bob

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Rockland COVID-19: Ed Day targets hardest-hit areas - The Journal News