BUFFALO, N.Y. (WKBW) — Erie County Executive Mark Poloncarz held a COVID-19 update Wednesday an announced the county reached a record number of new daily COVID-19 cases since start of pandemic on Tuesday.
According to Poloncarz, there were 878 new confirmed cases of COVID-19 Tuesday, the most new confirmed cases of COVID-19 in a day in the county since the start of the pandemic. In the past seven days there have been 4,693 new confirmed cases and the total new cases per 100,000 over the past seven days is 492.
Poloncarz also said the data shows the county is currently in its fourth wave of COVID-19.
This graph charts the number of COVID-19 confirmed cases in Erie County since the start of the pandemic. The graph shows that we are now entering a fourth wave of a significant increase of confirmed COVID-19 cases in Erie County. pic.twitter.com/mcfC57t8dU
— Mark Poloncarz (@markpoloncarz) November 24, 2021
According to hospitalization data released by the county, Poloncarz said the county is on the verge of surpassing all previous waves.
We are on the verge of surpassing all our previous surges, if we continue at this rate we will be well over our hospitals capacity to intake patients. Risking the threat of a shutdown of elective surgeries. pic.twitter.com/elfHY38Ff4
— Mark Poloncarz (@markpoloncarz) November 24, 2021
As the COVID-19 spread reaches record levels in the county and Thanksgiving approaches, Poloncarz said the following, "Thanksgiving is tomorrow, and happy Thanksgiving to all, but the Erie County Department of Health encourages people who plan to gather with friends and family to stay home and away from others if you are ill. Do not leave your house, do not have other people come to your house if you are sick."
He also continued on to say, "I know it's Thanksgiving, and everybody wants to celebrate Thanksgiving, but Thanksgiving is a secular holiday to be thankful for what we have in this country, and the bounty we have and the people that we have in our lives. And we don't want to have Thanksgiving be the day that you passed COVID-19 on to your parents, your grandparents, another loved one and they died from it. If you're sick, stay home."
On Monday Poloncarz announced a mask mandate to take effect for all public indoor settings in response to rising COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations.
Tuesday, the Erie County Legislature Minority Caucus introduced a resolution that, if passed, would call on the New York State Senate and Assembly to revoke Erie County Executive Mark Poloncarz's emergency powers.
New York State Senator Patrick Gallivan (R - 59th District) held a press conference Wednesday to introduce legislation that, if passed, would "amend the state's executive law and public health law in relation to the length of time local governments can impose an emergency declaration and emergency orders. The bill would ensure checks and balances in local government."
Local businesses are also planning to sue Erie County over the mask mandate, according to HoganWillig Attorneys at Law.
