Number of positive tests continues to drop locally

By Donnie A. Lucas

With the number of new cases dropping to less than half of those recorded the prior week, the peak of the latest ­COVID-19 surge appears to be in the past.

The number of positive test results decreased significantly during the week of Jan. 24-28 to 29 positive cases based on tests administered at the three local testing sites.

A total of 57 tests were given for the week of Jan. 24-28, according to the weekly report issued by county judge Bob Skelton.

The number of new cases also dropped by half during the previous week, Jan. 17-21, with 68 positive results of the 110 tests given. The highest numbers of the pandemic were recorded the week of Jan. 10-14 when 116 positive results out of the 235 tests administered were reported.

Albany ISD reported just four new cases of students or staff testing positive for COVID last week, three at the elementary campus and one at the secondary school.

The total number of positive cases last week includes tests administered at the health clinic, the EMS station and ResourceCare Community Health Center.

The total does not include any information about tests administered outside Albany or by use of home tests, which according to officials could be a significant number.

The federal government recently started offering four free at-home COVID tests to each household, with a number of citizens already receiving the tests in the mail. Anyone interested can go online: www.COVIDtests.gov.

Anyone experiencing COVID-19 symptoms can make an appointment to be tested at one of the three local locations.