SYRACUSE, N.Y. — Onondaga County had its most lethal day so far in the COVID-19 crisis, with five new deaths reported by County Executive Ryan McMahon on Thursday afternoon.
“Unfortunately, today has been the deadliest day in our fight with COVID-19 since this pandemic came to our county,” McMahon said to open his daily coronavirus briefing at the Oncenter. “We’ve had five deaths since yesterday.”
The deceased — three men and two women — ranged in age from their 50s to their 90s, according to McMahon.
“Needless to say, this is a tough day. Our thoughts and prayers are with the families of everyone who we’ve lost in this process, specifically those who we lost this week,” he added.
In all, 17 people have died since the pandemic first hit Onondaga County a month ago with its first confirmed positive case.
Onondaga County now has 579 coronavirus infections, up by 16 from 563 a day ago. The county’s active COVID-19 cases rose to 283 from 278.
The county says 52 people are in the hospital, up by four from Wednesday. Of those in a hospital, 20 are in critical condition.