The number of positive COVID cases in Schoharie County is closing in on 100 after six more cases were identified as of Friday.
That brings the total to 96.
The Department of Health is attributing the increase to people attending weddings and other events where COVID regulations weren’t being followed.
For the first time, the Health Department has also issued an alert, warning those who were at Clappers Glass Bar in Schoharie between 5pm and 12am on Friday, October 2; 5pm and 2am on Saturday, October 3; or 5-10pm, Tuesday, October 6 that they may have been exposed to COVID.
The notification comes after someone at the bar tested positive, Health Director Amy Gildemeister said.
The bar’s owners have been cooperative, she said, closing down on their own out of caution.
Anyone who was at the bar during the days and times listed should monitor themselves for symptoms for 14 days and get tested if they develop symptoms that can include: fever or chills, shortness of breath or difficulty breathing, fatigue, muscle or body aches, headache, loss of taste or smell, sore throat, congestion or runny nose, nausea, or vomiting, or diarrhea.
Even someone with mild symptoms—or no symptoms at all—can pass COVID to someone who can become very ill.
To date, one person has died from COVID in Schoharie County and 11 have required hospitalization.
Five are currently in isolation and 66 are in quarantine with 44 additional people in quarantine due to their travel history.
Three hundred thirty-six people have completed their quarantine or isolation and have been allowed to resume normal activities.
Cases have occurred in all parts of Schoharie County.
COVID testing information is available locally at:
_ Rapid Test - Well Now Urgent Care (Oneonta) - (607) 376-5346.
_ Bassett COVID-19 Hotline - (607) 547-5555.
_ SUNY Albany - 1-888-364-3065.
_ CVS Pharmacy in Cobleskill - (518) 234-8150.
No cases have been reported in Schoharie County public schools.
There has been one positive case reported at Worcester Central School, but that was before the school returned to in-school instruction.
At SUNY Cobleskill, one student has tested positive to date.
The campus continues to monitor wastewater samples—an early detection tool.
After elevated levels were detected Thursday, the college moved all classes to online for two days, Thursday and Friday, resuming in-person classes Monday.
In Otsego County, there have been 913 confirmed cases of COVID, 731 of them linked to SUNY Oneonta and 20 linked to Hartwick College.
There have been seven deaths.
Governor Andrew Cuomo has identified Broome County as an upstate hotspot; 659 active cases were confirmed there Saturday—an increase of 73 cases over the day before.
More than 2,400 people are under quarantine and parts of Broome County are under the Governor’s new Yellow Zone restrictions, which places additional limits on mass gatherings and restaurants, and guidelines for schools through at least October 23.