Cortland County had 70 new cases of COVID-19 between Dec. 10 and 16 – a 32% increase in new cases from the previous week. It’s experiencing a sharp spike in flu cases, too, even as Christmas arrives.
Three people were hospitalized for COVID-19 as of Friday, however they were not originally admitted for COVID, reports the state Department of Health.
“Common respiratory viruses like COVID-19, flu and Respiratory Synovial Virus, RSV, will continue to spread during the winter months,” Cortland County Public Health Director Nicole Anjeski said Tuesday in an email. “With many community members hosting and attending gatherings/events during this time, especially during the holiday season, we may continue to see an increase in cases.”
Influenza cases are also on the rise, data show. Cases in Cortland County rose to 11 as of Dec. 9, up from two cases the week before.
“Getting vaccinated against the flu and COVID-19, improving ventilation and spending time outdoors, staying home when you are feeling ill, getting tested if you have symptoms and wearing a mask when necessary are steps we can all take to limit the spread of these viruses,” Anjeski said.
You might want to skip the mistletoe tradition, too – at least with people you don’t smooch often.
Next door to Cortland, influenza cases have increased 44% in the past week in Tompkins County, and COVID-19 cases are up 47% in the past two weeks, reports Tompkins County Whole Health, the county’s public health department.
The county saw 59 new COVID cases in the past week, and 21 new cases of the flu.
JennferLeigh Clune, a Guthrie-Cortland Medical Center family nurse practitioner, also recommended getting vaccinated.
“Remember, it takes two weeks to be protected, and you can still get sick while your body’s defenses are ramping up,” Clune said in an email Tuesday.
To prevent the spread, Clune also recommends:
•Wash your hands often for 20 or more seconds or use hand sanitizers that are 60% alcohol based, which cleans your hands of germs and viruses that cause illness.
•Avoid touching your nose and face, which prevents germs from entering the body.
•Mask up.
•Isolate if sick.
•Clean and disinfect high-touch surfaces; taking care to not leave used tissues around, so others aren’t picking up your germs.
COVID-19 test kits can be ordered for free through U.S. Postal Service for delivery to your home.
