No New Southern Tier COVID Deaths for First Time in Days-Infections Continue to Rise

For the first time in several days, no new COVID deaths have been added to the grim tally of pandemic victims in the Southern Tier.

A check of the numbers reported by the county health departments around the region on December 9 shows no addition to the fatalities, something that hasn't happened for weeks.

The number of new positive tests for the coronavirus, however, continue to soar.

December 9 updates:

Broome County reported 79 new cases for a total of 5,980.   Broome County Executive Jason Garnar predicted the county would pass the 6,000-case threshold by the December 10 afternoon update. Broome County has lost 145 residents to the pandemic.

Chenango County reports 15 new cases for a total of 754. There have been 13 deaths.

Cortland County adds 36 cases for a total of 1,698. There have been five deaths.

Delaware County has 11 new cases for a total of 475 and nine lives have been lost.

Tioga County reports a jump of 86 new cases for a total of 1,315 and 64 deaths.

Broome County Executive Jason Garnar says over the past few days there has been a shift in the age of people leading the infection numbers but the gathering of people, even in smaller groups, continues to be the source of most of the spread.

While, in the past couple of weeks, health officials said the new positive tests were turning up mainly in younger people in their late teens and 20s, this week Garnar says the numbers shifted higher with 30 to 50-year-olds leading the number of new cases.

No matter what the age-group, officials continue to stress staying at home, avoiding gatherings, wearing facial coverings and frequently washing hands to stop the spread of the virus.