Suffolk’s new COVID-19 cases Tuesday surge to more than twice the previous single-day high

As the omicron variant continues to surge in New York and across the U.S., new confirmed COVID-19 cases in Suffolk County yesterday were more than double the previous record-high number, which was recorded during the peak of last winter’s surge.

According to the State Health Department, 4,577 new COVID-19 cases were reported yesterday in Suffolk County. The previous one-day high was 2,194 reported on Jan. 6.

New cases in Suffolk reached 309 per 100,000 population and the testing positivity rate also set a record at 23.4%.

There were 113 new hospital admissions in Suffolk yesterday, nearly equal the 114 new admissions on Jan. 6, also the single-day high of last winter’s surge.

There were 544 people hospitalized with COVID in Suffolk yesterday, an increase of 43 in 24 hours. Overall, though, hospitalizations are nearly 60% lower than last winter’s peak, which public health officials say is because people are vaccinated and the omicron variant seems to cause less severe illness among vaccinated individuals. But officials are still worried that the smaller percentage of cases requiring hospitalizations may be more than offset by the far greater number of infections, creating the potential to overwhelm the hospital system.

Peconic Bay Medical Center currently has around 35 COVID patients hospitalized, Executive Director Amy Loeb said this afternoon. Four of those patients were in ICU.

New York State set a new single-day record for confirmed new cases yesterday, reporting 67,090 new cases. The statewide testing percent-positive rose to 18.5%.

Statewide hospitalizations rose by 594 people to a 6,767. There were 1,474 new admissions. COVID fatalities in health care facilities reached 97.

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