Tompkins County averaging second-highest number of new COVID cases per capita in New York

A recent spike in COVID cases has the Tompkins County Health Department tallying 180 positive cases of COVID-19 and 55 self-reported cases since Tuesday.

Cornell University reported 210 positive cases of COVID-19 between Sunday and Tuesday.

Trailing only Oswego County, Tompkins County is now averaging the second-highest number of new COVID-19 cases per day per capita in New York. That average is listed as 54 cases per capita on the New York Times' map and case count of the coronavirus.

“For many, the rise in recent cases, coupled with the challenge of no longer having a true 'total active cases' number due to the increased usage of self-tests, has renewed COVID-19 concerns," said Frank Kruppa, Tompkins County public health director. "We are reminding the community that they have the tools to reduce risk: stay up to date on vaccination, wear a high-quality mask, stay home if sick and get tested."

Local hospitalization rates remain low. The health department is reminding residents they can wear KN95 or N95 masks as high-quality masks to protect themselves and others.

KN95 masks are available for free at the following locations:

Municipalities:

• Town of Caroline

• Town of Enfield

• Town of Lansing

• Town of Groton

• Village of Groton

• Village of Freeville

• Village of Cayuga Heights

Libraries:

• Tompkins County Public Library, Green & S. Cayuga Streets, Ithaca

• Southworth Library, Dryden

• Lansing Public Library, Lansing

• Ulysses Philomathic Library, Trumansburg

• Newfield Public Library, Newfield

• Groton Public Library, Groton

"When hospitalizations are low there is more access to care and services at the hospital, and the risk of having to limit other types of services is reduced," Kruppa said. "While disease prevalence ebbs and flows, we must remain cautious but optimistic, follow the measures that keep us safe, and continue to take care of ourselves and each other.”

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This article originally appeared on Ithaca Journal: Tompkins second-highest per capita for new COVID cases in New York