The Suffolk County COVID-19 positivity rate continued to climb sharply this week, exceeding 15 percent on Wednesday, the highest reported since the pandemic’s start. On Shelter Island, six more cases were reported.
(In response to rising infection rates, Island officials announced new protocols on Tuesday. Read more in this Gazette post.)
Of 21,535 tests administered countywide on Wednesday, 3,268 turned up positive for the novel coronavirus. As a result, the infection rate for the county stood at 220.6 cases per 100K people. One week earlier, the positivity rate was 8.8 percent, and there were 121.5 cases per 100K.
The 7-day averages are trending up, too. Wednesday’s 15.2 percent positivity rate — an all-time high since the pandemic began — drove the 7-day rolling average up to 12.3 percent, up from 8 percent a week earlier. In addition, there were 139.7 cases per 100K on the 7-day rolling average, up from 80.7 per 100K a week ago.
Officials say the delta and omicron variants are responsible for the surge. As the weather grows colder, people spend more time indoors. And, with Christmas nearing, people are spending more time traveling and at holiday gatherings.
Here’s the latest data from the county:
Positivity rate exceeds 15 percent
- 21,535 COVID-19 tests were administered on Wednesday, December 22
- 6,236,852 total tests have been administered since March 2020
- 3,268 new cases were reported
- 220.6 cases per 100k; 139.7 on a 7-day average
- 286,880 total cases have been reported since March 2020
- 15.2% tested positive in Suffolk County; 12.3% positive on a 7-day average
- 13.3% tested positive on Long Island; 12.1% positive on a 7-day average
Suffolk County reports three fatalities due to COVID-19 on December 22. That brings the county death toll since March 2020 to 3,761.
On Shelter Island, the case count now stands at 109, up from 103 earlier this week.
See the local case tracker map for more details.
Hospitalizations
- 372 individuals were hospitalized, a decrease of 4 in 24 hours
- 60 were new admissions
- 62 patients were in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU), an increase of 5 in 24 hours
- 34 patients were in the ICU and intubated
- 69 were discharged since the last report
- 18,162 have been discharged since March 22, 2020
Hospital capacity is as follows:
- 3,101 hospital beds, 877 available, 28 percent
- 371 ICU beds, 75 available, 20 percent
COVID-19 vaccine information
- 1,155,231 people have received at least one vaccine dose, an increase of 1,450
- 1,042,336 people have completed their vaccine series, an increase of 891
- 78 percent of the total population of 1,481,093 has received at least one dose
- 91 percent of the population ages 18 and older has received at least one dose
- 70.3 percent of the total population is fully vaccinated
- 83.2 percent of the population ages 18 and older is fully vaccinated
- 81 percent of the population ages 12 and older is fully vaccinated
- 75 percent of the population ages 5 and older is fully vaccinated
Get vaccinated
Health officials say the best way to prevent serious illness from COVID-19 is to be vaccinated. Suffolk County residents age five and older are eligible for vaccinations and booster shots in many cases.
Click here for locations and times, and parental consent forms. Appointments are recommended. Medical practitioners and EMS are on-site at all times to answer questions and tend to concerns, county health officials say.
If you are confined to your home and wish to receive your COVID-19 vaccination, call 311. Operators will take your name, and a scheduler will contact you to set up a free vaccination at home.
