A fourth person in Onondaga County has died of the novel coronavirus, officials announced Saturday.

County Health Commissioner Indu Gupta said in a press release that a man in his 80s with underlying health conditions had died of the virus, Syracuse.com reported. The county reported two deaths on Thursday.

The novel coronavirus causes COVID-19, a respiratory disease that has now infected over a million people and killed 64,703.

Onondaga County has now confirmed 349 cases of COVID-19, 120 of which are in the city of Syracuse, County Executive Ryan McMahon said at a media briefing. Nearly 900 cases have been reported in northern and central New York,

There are 245 active cases of COVID-19 in the county, a number that accounts for patients who have tested positive for the virus but have not recovered or died. Twenty-nine people are hospitalized, and 14 are in critical condition. Over 100 patients have recovered and have been released from mandatory isolation, McMahon said.

At the current rate of testing, officials expect to see an average of 20 to 30 cases confirmed each day. A continued demand for testing in Onondaga County would mean the continued discovery of positive cases in the county, McMahon said.

Only individuals with symptoms are being tested at this time, he said.

The county has a strong medical infrastructure in place, McMahon said. Gov. Andrew Cuomo said in a separate briefing Saturday that New York state has not reached its peak infection rate yet, presenting the state with an opportunity to improve its healthcare system in preparation for the height of the outbreak.

“We have the medical infrastructure to really lead, and our hospitals have been leading,” McMahon said.

Continuing to practice social distancing would help Onondaga County most effectively fight the disease, McMahon said. Essential businesses should also be mindful of social distancing measures out of consideration for employees who are still working, he said.

“The quicker we flatten the curve, the better and easier it is to start our economic recovery,” McMahon said. “We are not there yet.”

McMahon encouraged the public to wear nonmedical face masks when outside, in compliance with recent recommendations from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

“We just need to continue to be patient in this process,” McMahon said. “I know it’s stressful and everybody feels that stress. If you’ve been sick or you potentially could be sick, we’re here looking out for you and for your neighbors and your families.”

Published on April 4, 2020 at 10:00 pm

Contact Marnie: ammunozc@syr.edu