Onondaga County Executive Ryan McMahon confirmed 48 additional cases of the novel coronavirus Sunday, bringing the total number of cases reported in the county to 194. The jump in cases is the greatest single-day increase the county has seen. 

The novel coronavirus causes COVID-19, a respiratory disease that has infected more than 718,000 people and killed over 33,800 worldwide. New York state has confirmed 59,513 cases of COVID-19 as of Sunday, the most of any state in the country, and 965 people have died. 

The county saw its first positive case of the virus almost two weeks ago and is now receiving the results from a backlog of tests, McMahon said at a briefing Sunday. Young people make up a significant portion of the positive test results, and nearly a quarter of the county’s confirmed cases are people in their 20s, McMahon said. The youngest patient is 14 years old, he said. 

“It impacts everybody in every demographic,” McMahon said. “You can be in your 20s, get a very bad case of COVID-19 and spend time in the hospital, hence why we’ve always been talking about social distancing and things we can do together.” 

Five people who contracted the virus have been released from mandatory isolation, the county’s first documented recoveries, McMahon said. 

“We’re in a phase now where we are going to see recoveries and people released from quarantine,” he said. The county is still expecting more confirmed cases of the virus in the coming weeks, but should see recoveries begin to increase as well, McMahon said. 

Individuals released from isolation should continue to practice social distancing, said Indu Gupta, the county’s health commissioner. Patients released from isolation may still technically have the virus, but need to show improved respiratory health and no signs of a fever, she said. 

“It appears that the test will remain positive for quite some time even though the people’s symptoms will improve,” Gupta said. 

The county is currently awaiting results from more than 300 tests, McMahon said. The demand for tests is down, which could be a sign that social distancing measures are working, he said. 

“If you’re sick, you should be home,” McMahon said. “If your children are sick, they need to be at home as well.”

Hospitals in central New York have a sufficient amount of beds and supplies, McMahon said. Plans are still in place to add beds at Syracuse University’s Manley Field House should they be needed, he said. The county’s hospitals would also be able to treat patients from overwhelmed hospitals downstate if asked to do so, he said.

Gov. Andrew Cuomo on Sunday extended the state’s ban on nonessential work until at least April 15. McMahon said the county has been assisting some nonessential businesses, such as car manufacturers, to appeal the state for exemptions that allow them to continue operating with special procedures in place. 

“We want businesses who can be innovative in how they can operate and still social distance,” McMahon said. The more companies and residents do to limit the spread of the virus in the next two or three weeks, the quicker businesses and schools can return to normal operations, he said. 

The county has not made any decisions about extending school closures beyond April 14, McMahon said. It would be premature to cancel the school year, but officials will continue to discuss closing for additional time as the COVID-19 situation evolves, he said. 

McMahon said he was happy to see recovering patients sharing their experiences and dispelling stigma about the virus. 

“Most of us probably know somebody in quarantine or may have even heard of somebody or know somebody who has tested positive,” McMahon said. “And the good news is people are really starting to get better now.” 

Published on March 29, 2020 at 10:19 pm

Contact Michael: msessa@syr.edu | @MichaelSessa3