COVID Numbers Update for Jan. 20 in Oneida-Herkimer Counties

Oneida County got some good news on Wednesday, as New York State delivered another 500 doses of the COVID-19 vaccine to the county health department. However, the hope the vaccine brings for the future was again overshadowed by the reality local residents face right now: The county lost 5 more residents to the virus on Tuesday (reflected in Wednesday's report), and the active case total in the county increased again, once again setting a new record.

The five deaths reported pushed the county's death toll to over 300 since March, now at 303. It was also the 56th consecutive day at least one resident has died from the virus. There 166 new confirmed cases included in Wednesday's update, sending the active case total to 7,175, as the county continued a trend of surpassing its own record in that category virtually on a daily basis.

Some 'better' news in the latest report is the hospitalization rate among Oneida County residents dropped to 151, down from 173 from the previous day. Of those, 138 are being cared for in Oneida County hospitals, with 13 at out of county facilities.

In Herkimer County, there were 69 new cases reported on Wednesday, along with another death.