For the third straight day this week, Oneida County Executive Anthony Picente opened his daily COVID-19 briefing by expressing condolences to the family of a person who had died from the virus.

After two deaths announced on Saturday, and one each of the last three days, the county's COVID-19 death toll now stands at 17, five of those coming in the last five days. Additionally, Picente says twelve more county residents have tested positive brings the county's to date total to an even 400.

Oneida County By The Numbers

  • Positive cases to date - 400
  • Deaths to date - 17
  • Currently active COVID-19 cases - 224
  • Cases resolved/recovered - 159
  • Currently pending test results - 189

New Public Exposure Incident in New Hartford

A person who has since tested positive for COVID-19 was at two New Hartford locations on April 25, Public Health Director Phyllis Ellis said.

  • Hannaford on Commerical Drive between noon and 2:00 p.m.
  • Walgreens on Commerical Drive between noon and 2:00 p.m.

Ellis said the individual was wearing a mask and called the public exposure a 'Low Risk' incident. However, if you were at those locations in that time frame

Regarding the county's recently issued executive order that stands as a fine businesses to allow customers to enter their establisments without a mask (which will take effect on Friday at noon), Picente indicated he'd received critical feedback on the initiative.

He went on to say compliance with the face mask order is a neccessity if the county can begin the re-opening process.

''Eighty to 85% of people are complying [with Governor Cuomo's face mask order]. It's the 15% that are putting other people at risk, as our numbers continue to rise as you can see.'' Picente said.

''Thank you to all those who are compliant. I'm very proud of everybody and all that we've done....Let's get through this together,'' Picente said.

He again reiterated to comply with the face mask requirement, ''...it doesn't have to be a mask, any face covering will do. As long as your nose and mouth are covered.''

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