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Monroe County sees highest daily increase in positive COVID-19 cases since pandemic began

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

The latest numbers on COVID-19 in Monroe County show a sharp increase in the number of positive cases.

Commissioner of Public Health Dr. Michael Mendoza says the latest update shows 136 newly confirmed cases, the biggest increase in new cases in Monroe County since the start of the pandemic in March.

The 7-day rolling average of new cases is 73 per day.

Mendoza says that the health department’s contact tracing revealed several concerning trends. He says they are finding more small and large gatherings where attendees are not observing essential precautions including social distancing and mask wearing.

Mendoza says health officials believe that this is now leading to transmission within workplaces, since the county is experiencing a growing number of small clusters among employees of local businesses and institutions.

The commissioner says that his staffers have interviewed numerous people who say they went to work with symptoms of COVID-19, brushing them off as a cold or allergies.

"This is a very critical moment as we work to keep our community safe and our economy open," Mendoza says.

He urges county resident to stay home if they’re sick, wear a mask at all times when in public or with people who are not part of your own household, and practice social distancing.

Randy Gorbman is WXXI's director of news and public affairs. Randy manages the day-to-day operations of WXXI News on radio, television, and online.