Central New York has zero COVID-19 ICU cases for first time since 2020

Central New York has reported zero COVID-19 intensive care unit (ICU) hospitalizations for the first time in 952 days, according to data from the New York State Department of Health.

This milestone comes even as the World Health Organization and the United States have recently lifted their respective Global Emergency and public health emergency orders. New York, however, continues to gather hospital data, allowing for a better understanding of the impact of COVID-19 in communities.

Out of New York’s 10 regions, Central New York is currently the only region without any COVID-19 patients in ICU. The region has seen an improved situation with COVID-19 hospitalizations over the past year, with the winter surge of 2022-23 being significantly less severe than previous years.

During this period, ICU hospitalizations peaked at about 20 cases, a substantial decrease from previous winter surges, which saw nearly 100 ICU hospitalizations at their worst. Since March 2020, COVID-19 has been the cause of death for nearly two thousand individuals in Central New York. The State’s Department of Health continues to regularly update the total count on its website.