Mid-Hudson Valley Counties Now 'High Transmission' For COVID-19

MID-HUDSON VALLEY, NY — The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has reclassified several counties in the mid-Hudson Valley region as "High Transmission" areas because of an increase in COVID-19 cases.

As of Friday, Columbia, Dutchess, Greene, Orange, Ulster and Sullivan are high transmission counties.

Livia Santiago-Rosado, the Dutchess County Department of Behavioral & Community Health commissioner, said her county has seen an increase in new coronavirus cases over the past several weeks.

To prevent COVID-19 spread, she recommends residents follow CDC guidance including:

• Get vaccinated and boosted.
• Get tested when not feeling well or potentially exposed.
• Wash hands regularly with soap and water or use hand sanitizer
• Stay home when sick.
• Consider wearing a mask in indoor public spaces, even if fully vaccinated.

Ulster County Health Commissioner Dr. Carol Smith also said residents should consider wearing a mask when indoors and in public settings and other common or shared spaces where individuals may interact.

Active cases of new coronavirus infection in Dutchess County as of Wednesday were reported to be 728, up from 693 Tuesday, according to the county's COVID-19 dashboard. The number of cases per 100,000 population in Dutchess were 58.6 as of Wednesday, up from 42.6 Tuesday.

According to the CDC, 70.6 percent of Dutchess' population is fully vaccinated.