Nursing home workers spreading virus to each other

Jan. 25—People are going to work sick with coronavirus and spreading the virus to co-workers, particularly in nursing homes, Warren County Health Services reported.

"Workers sharing lunch and coffee breaks without masks or social distancing are a particular issue," the county reported in Sunday's daily COVID update. "Warren County Health Services is finding many situations where those who are ill and symptomatic with COVID-19 are going to work or into other public situations. Stay home if ill with any symptoms of COVID-19, such as fever, chills, loss of sense of taste or smell, headache or cough."

There is financial help for those who stay home because they tested positive or have been exposed to coronavirus. However, many low-wage workers report their companies still don't offer paid sick leave for other illnesses, making them choose between staying home with minor symptoms, or going to work anyway and getting paid.

For those who are quarantined, help for paid time off can be found at https://www.governor.ny.gov/programs/paid-sick-leave-covid-19-impacted-new-yorkers.

School cases

Hudson Falls Central School District was to reopen for in-person classes Monday, but too many bus drivers are in quarantine, Interim Superintendent Jon Hunter told families in a letter Sunday. The district will remain virtual until at least Feb. 1.

"Simply put, we are gutted," he wrote. "We know the best place for our students is in our classrooms. We understand that families want to get back to school. We know that kids are excited to see their friends. But for the moment, we don't have the ability to get everyone to and from school safely."

They explored options for supplementing the quarantined drivers, but could not find a way to get enough drivers, he said.

Cambridge Central School District's seventh grade through 12th grade students will be virtual Monday, after a person tested positive Friday and was in the high school on Thursday. Preschoolers through sixth graders will have in-person school.

Ticonderoga Central School will reopen its buildings Monday, with pre-K through sixth grade returning to in-person classes on Tuesday.

North Warren Central School District reported a case in a third-grade classroom.

Schuylerville Central School District reported that a high school staff member tested positive; the person was last in school on Jan. 22.

Sunday's statistics

* Warren County reported 23 new cases, for a total of 2,177 confirmed cases since March, and 59 recoveries, for a total of 1,780 recoveries among confirmed cases. There are 345 people currently ill, and 19 of them are hospitalized. That's four fewer than Saturday, due to four discharged. Outside of the hospital setting, one nursing home resident is in critical condition and four people are "moderately ill."

* Washington County reported 11 new cases, for a total of 1,534 confirmed cases since March, and 17 recoveries, for a total of 1,323 recoveries. There are 194 people currently ill, and 15 are hospitalized, an increase of one since Saturday.

* Essex County does not report on weekends, but told the state that 12 people tested positive Saturday.

* Glens Falls Hospital reported 31 coronavirus patients, down from 39 Friday, and none in intensive care.

* Saratoga County reported Friday's statistics: two deaths, for a total of 86. The county also reported 58 new cases for Friday, far fewer than the normal lately, for a total of 9,689 confirmed cases since March. There were 10 recoveries, for a total of 5,306 recoveries. There are 4,297 people currently ill and 102 are hospitalized, the same number as on Thursday.

* In the northern Saratoga County towns, still ill: 58 town of Corinth residents, 46 village of Corinth residents, 35 Hadley residents, 200 Moreau residents, 90 Northumberland residents, 58 town of Saratoga residents, 17 Schuylerville residents, 44 South Glens Falls residents, 17 Victory residents and 296 Wilton residents.

* Deaths since March (unchanged from Thursday): None in the town or village of Corinth, one in Hadley, nine in Moreau, none in Northumberland, one in the town of Saratoga, four in Wilton, none in Schuylerville, none in South Glens Falls and none in Victory.

For Saturday, the most recent day for which the following data was available:

* The Capital Region reported a total of 611 new cases, for a positive test rate of 5.2%, which brought the weekly average to 6.7%.

* Warren County had a positive test rate of 2.7% and a weekly average of 5.1%.

* Washington County had a positive test rate of 4.6% and a weekly average of 5.3%.

* Saratoga County had a positive test rate of 5.3% and a weekly average of 7.2%.

* Essex County had a positive test rate of 2.2% and a weekly average of 3.1%.

* Statewide, 12,720 people tested positive, a positive test rate of 5.09%. There were 8,613 people hospitalized with coronavirus Saturday, a continued decrease, and 160 people died.

You can reach Kathleen Moore at 742-3247 or kmoore@poststar.com. Follow her on Twitter @ByKathleenMoore or at her blog on www.poststar.com.

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