WNY COVID-19 Positive Rate Hits 2%. Again.

Buffalo, NY – Western New York’s COVID-19 positive rate was at 2% for August 26.

When asked about locations, the governor said they have traced at least 53 positive cases to a food processing plant in Chautauqua County.

Other cases are attributed to community spread, a steel plant in Erie County, new cases at two nursing homes, season labor at farms.

Governor Cuomo says the state will deploy a SWAT team from the Department of Health and open eight testing sites, including three in the City of Buffalo.

“We’re closely monitoring the state’s COVID-19 data every day, and the continued 20-day streak with an infection rate below 1 percent is good news. However, I urge New Yorkers not to get complacent, particularly as we move into the fall season,” Governor Cuomo said. 

“COVID-19 is still a real threat, and it’s the actions each of us take—wearing masks, socially distancing and washing our hands—that make the difference in our ability to fight this virus. Congratulations to New Yorkers—stay with it and stay New York Tough.”

Today’s data is summarized briefly below:

  • Patient Hospitalization – 490 (-2)
  • Patients Newly Admitted – 73
  • Hospital Counties – 32
  • Number ICU – 126 (-10)
  • Number ICU with Intubation – 52 (-2)
  • Total Discharges – 74,850 (+59)
  • Deaths – 4
  • Total Deaths – 25,309

Of the 83,437 test results reported to New York State yesterday, 791, or 0.95 percent, were positive. Each region’s percentage of positive test results reported over the last three days is as follows:

 

REGION

MONDAY

TUESDAY

WEDNESDAY

Capital Region

1.4%

0.5%

1.1%

Central New York

0.8%

0.6%

1.4%

Finger Lakes

0.5%

0.5%

0.6%

Long Island

1.1%

0.9%

0.6%

Mid-Hudson

1.0%

0.9%

1.2%

Mohawk Valley

0.8%

0.2%

0.4%

New York City

0.8%

0.9%

0.9%

North Country

0.5%

0.6%

1.2%

Southern Tier

0.3%

0.3%

0.3%

Western New York

1.8%

1.4%

2.0%

Related articles

Affordability, affordability, affordability: Democrats’ new winning formula

From a democratic socialist in New York to moderates in Virginia and New Jersey, Democrats found success by focusing on the cost of living — not culture wars.

Democrats sweep three key races as voters express ‘buyer’s remorse’: analyst



Democrats swept three key statewide races during Tuesday's election, propelled by voters expressing "buyer's remorse" over President Donald Trump's second administration, according to one analyst.

CNN's Van Jones joined the network's election night coverage to discuss Democrats winning key races in New Jersey, Virginia, Pennsylvania, Georgia, and New York City. His comments come at a time when Democrats are seeking to ride the wave of enthusiasm into the 2026 midterm election.

"One of the things that I think people are seeing, not just from [Zohran] Mamdani, but from the moderates as well, is this focus on kitchen table issues," Jones said. "We used to talk about this in weird ways. Income inequality, wealth disparity, economic justice. It was people describing a problem that they didn't have."

"Now you got people who are talking like the people who have the problem," he continued. "I can't afford nothing. And somebody who can talk that way, whether on the left of our party or the middle of our party, is going to have a big audience. And this buyer's remorse that's setting in now from other people is a big problem for the Republicans."

Democrats picked up some big gains in statewide elections on Tuesday.

In Virginia, Democrats won the Governor, Lt. Governor, and Attorney General races. The race for Governor was called less than an hour after the polls closed, and experts have suggested that enthusiasm for Democrat Abigail Spanberger helped buoy other Democrats down the ticket.

Voters in New Jersey also elected Democrat Mikie Sherrill over Republican Jack Ciattarelli. CNN's John King said the election results were "a warning shot" for the White House.

Democrats also picked up seats in Georgia's Public Service Commission, which is the first time Democrats have controlled a non-federal office in the state in two decades.

Democratic Socialist Zohran Mamdani also won the mayoral election in New York City over Trump-backed former mayor Andrew Cuomo. delete