What's behind Erie County's hospitalization rate uptick?

Erie County leaders say nursing home figures may explain Erie County's COVID-19 hospitalization rate uptick.

IMPROVEMENTTODAY..

FOR THEWESTERN NEW YORKREGION..

WHEN ITCOMES TO TRYING TOMEET.

THE 7 METRICSLAYED OUT BY THESTATE..AS OF TODAY..

WEHAVE HIT 5 OF THE 7BENCHMARKS..THIS IS AGAIN..IMPROVEMENT FROMYESTERDAY..

AFTERWE DROPPED OFF INTHE CATEGORY OFNEWHOSPITALIZATIONS..HERE'S A LOOK AT THECOVID-19HOSPITALIZATIONNUMBERS FOR THEWESTERN REGION.THEY ARE AGAINHEADING IN THE RIGHTDIRECTION..DROPPING FROM 214ON WEDNESDAY TO204 YESTERDAY.BUT AS CHIEFINVESTIGATORCHARLIE SPECHTEXPLAINS... THERESEEMS TO BE A BIT OFDISCREPANCY WHENIT COMES TOHOSPITAL NUMBERSAND NUMBERS WE'REGETTING FROMNURSING HOMES..MARKPOLONCARZ/ERIECOUNTY EXECUTIVE:I'M NOT REALLY HAPPYABOUT A LOT OF WHATWE ARE SEEING, NOTSO MUCH IN REGARDSTO WHERE OURNUMBERS AREGOING...WE AREHEADED IN THE RIGHTDIRECTIONGENERALLY.IN ORDER TO REOPEN,NEW YORK STATEMANDATS EACHREGION HAVE A 14-DAYDECLINE IN NETHOSPITALIZATIONS ORA THREE-DAY AVERAGEOF FEWER THAN 15NEWHOSPITALIZATIONSPER DAY.MARKPOLONCARZ/ERIECOUNTY EXECUTIVE:UNFORTUNATELYUNDER THE STATEMETRICS WE ARE NOT.ERIE COUNTY HEALTHCOMMISSIONER DR.GALE BURSTEIN SAYSSHE BELIEVES THAT'SBECAUSE NURSINGHOMES ARE NOWALLOWED TO SAY NOTO COVID PATIENTSBEING DISCHARGEDFROM LOCALHOSPITALS.DR. GALEBURSTEIN/ERIECOUNTY HEALTHCOMMISSIONER:THEY'RE TAKING UP ALOT OF HOSPITALBEDS, ESPECIALLY,YOU KNOW, NEWHOSPITAL BEDS.ON MARCH 25, THESTATE HEALTHDEPARTMENT SET ACONTROVERSIALORDER MANDATINGNURSING HOMESACCEPTCORONAVIRUSPATIENTS FROMHOSPITALS.THAT POLICY -- WHICHHAS SINCE BEENREVERSED -- WASBLAMED FOR THESPREAD OF THEDISEASE IN ADULTCARE FACILITIES.BUT THAT SAMEPOLICY IS NOW BEINGBLAMED FOR THEUPTICK IN HOSPITALNUMBERS.DR. GALEBURSTEIN/ERIECOUNTY HEALTHCOMMISSIONER:THAT'S GOING TOINCREASE THE NUMBEROF ADMISSIONS.RECENT COUNTY DATASHOWS ADMISSIONSEXCEEDEDDISCHARGES IN ERIECOUNTY BY 5...WHILEDATA FOR THE STATEIS SLIGHTLY LOWER,LEADING TOCONFUSION ABOUTWHERE THE REGIONACTUALLY STANDS.JOE LORIGO/ERIECOUNTY LEGISLATORWEST SENECA:I THINK EVERYBODY'SLOOKING FOR THEQUICKEST WAY TOREOPEN, AND ALSOTHE MOSTRESPONSIBLE WAY,AND I THINK THERESHOULD BE SOMESORT OF DELINEATIONBETWEEN NURSINGHOME PATIENTS WHODIE IN A HOSPITAL ANDREGULAR ADMITTEDHOSPITAL DEATHS.COUNTY LEGISLATORJOE LORIGO POINTEDOUT THAT PATIENTSARE COMING IN FROMOUTLYING COUNTIESTO USE HOSPITALS INERIE COUNTY.JOE LORIGO/ERIECOUNTY LEGISLATOR:THOSE ARE COUNTINGAGAINST OURNUMBERS, AND IT'SDRIVING THEM UP.POLONCARZ SAIDTHERE ARE ONLYFOUR PEOPLE DOINGSO, BUT STILL, ITCOUNTS AGAINSTWNY'S NUMBER.HE SAYS HE'SFRUSTRATED BUT THEBUFFALO AREA, ATLEAST FOR NOW,MUST STAY HUNKEREDDOWN.FOR THE I-TEAM,CHARLIE SPECHT