CORNING, NY (WSKG) — Steuben County is seeing a resurgence of COVID-19 and it is more intense than the first wave. Health officials are now reporting up to 35 new cases per day. That's up from about 10 per day in April.
“I think that this second wave is more severe than even at the height of COVID in the spring in April,” said Darlene Smith, Director of Steuben County Public Health.
Smith said Steuben County residents are not following COVID-19 compliance protocols.
“They're getting very lax in wearing masks. They're getting very lax in social distancing, and they are especially getting lax in not getting together in large groups. You know, we keep trying to drive the point home that those precautions and protocols still need to be in place,” explained Smith.
According to the state, there were concerns regarding the Corning Center For Rehabilitation and Nursing, as well as a dairy factory in the county.
Nearly 200 tests were administered on-site at the Upstate Farms Cheese, LLC factory in Campbell last Friday in conjunction with Steuben County Public Health and the New York State Department of Health. Dozens tested positive.
Cases also popped up in K-12 schools. County health officials said there were almost 40 positive county-resident cases among students, teachers and staff members in the area.
Steuben County received 2500 rapid testing kits from the state and plans to open community testing. Smith would not give an exact date for its rollout.
Chemung and Broome Counties have also seen a spike in cases. Broome County is considered a Yellow cluster zone by the state.