It took more than 10 months, but the Chautauqua County Health Department can finally announce they had no new cases of COVID-19. That day was Monday. The last time there were no new cases was on Aug. 14, 2020.

“This is an encouraging indicator that vaccination is working to stop the spread of this virus in our community,” said Christine Schuyler, county public health director.

According to the health department, five cases of COVID-19 are currently active with a total of 24 people being monitored under isolation and quarantine orders. Three persons are hospitalized in Chautauqua County hospitals and no new deaths were reported. The seven-day positivity rate in the county was at 0.4%, decreasing the county’s level of transmission according to the CDC to low. To date, 9,291 cases of COVID-19 have been reported of which 9,129 have recovered and 157 have died.

“The decline in cases of COVID-19 and hospitalizations is something to celebrate and a testament to all who have gotten vaccinated and stayed strong and smart during this pandemic,” Schuyler said. “The Delta variant of the coronavirus is concerning though as it is quickly becoming the dominant strain in the U.S. and is the most contagious one seen so far. This may trigger serious illness in more people than other variants of the virus have.”

The county Health Department said all of the vaccines authorized for use in the U.S. appear to provide protection against all of the variants, including Delta. The COVID-19 Scenario Modeling Hub helps the CDC predict the future course of the pandemic and indicates that a moderate surge of infections is possible in many parts of the nation amongst those not vaccinated.

Statewide, New York’s positivity rate is even lower, at 0.36%. According to Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s office, 260 people across the state tested positive for the virus Monday. There were eight deaths, bringing the state death total to 42,936.

In nearby Cattaraugus County, their health department reported no new cases from Monday as well. It’s the eighth time this month they have had no new cases. Only once this month did Cattaraugus County have more than one positive case in a 24-hour period. They’ve also had two deaths in June from COVID-19.

Schuyler notes that vaccines are safe, effective, free and readily available for anyone 12 years of age and older. Visit https://chqgov.com/ or call 1-866-604-6789 to find a vaccination clinic or pharmacy near you.