More COVID Restrictions Expected in Newburgh, Other Parts of Area

Officials believe more COVID related restrictions are coming to a number of Hudson Valley locations in the next six to 30 hours.

Tuesday evening, Orange County Executive Steve Neuhaus confirmed 203 people tested positive for COVID-19 since Monday, which is the highest one-day total reported in Orange County since May 1.

Neuhaus later announced he expects at least three locations in Orange County will enter a Yellow Zone in the next 24 to 48 hours as part of Gov. Andrew Cuomo's cluster action initiative.

"I'm talking City Newburgh, Town in New Windsor, City of Middletown. Those municipalities. I've talked to them. They kind of know this is coming. Their numbers have been increasing," Neuhaus said during his COVID-19 Update on Tuesday.

A Yellow Zone is considered a precautionary zone under Cuomo's cluster action initiative. The following restrictions are put in place in a Yellow Zone:

• Houses of Worship: 50 percent capacity
• Mass Gatherings: 25 people maximum, indoor and outdoor
• Businesses: Open
• Dining: Indoor and outdoor dining, 4 person maximum per table
• Schools: Open with mandatory weekly testing of students and teachers/staff for in-person settings. The New York State Department of Health will establish a percentage of teachers and students/staff who need to be tested by Friday.

"We knew we were when you were heading into the storm. I ask you to continue to do your part. Keep the faith. I am definitely confident. We're going to get out of this. This is a fluid situation. There's a lot of moving parts. I asked you to be flexible," Neuhaus said. "I've had some very active conversations with your local leaders, your supervisors, your mayors. All of them are working very closely together to make sure it's safe for you."

After a Yellow Zone, there are Orange and Red zones, which come with more restrictions.

Orange Zone — Warning Zone

• Houses of Worship: 33 percent capacity, 25 people maximum
• Mass Gatherings: 10 people maximum, indoor and outdoor
• Businesses: Closing high-risk non-essential businesses, such as gyms and personal care
• Dining: Outdoor dining only, 4 person maximum per table
• Schools: Closed, remote only

Red Zone

• Houses of Worship: 25 percent capacity, 10 people maximum
• Mass Gatherings: Prohibited
• Businesses: Only essential businesses open
• Dining: Takeout only
• Schools: Closed, remote only

On Tuesday, Gov. Andrew Cuomo reported 4.3 percent of all COVID-19 tests in the Mid-Hudson Region came back positive. The positivity rate over the past seven days in the Hudson Valley is 3.7 percent.

% Positive Yesterday in the Mid-Hudson Region:

• Dutchess County: 3.4%
• Orange County: 4.7%
• Putnam County: 6.2%
• Rockland County: 5.0%
• Sullivan County: 3.1%
• Ulster County: 2.4%
• Westchester County: 4.5%

Last Thursday, Hudson Valley Post reported the region is recording COVID-19 numbers not seen since the spring. On Wednesday, New York State recorded the most COVID-19 infections in one day since April. Hospitalizations in the state are up 300 percent in just over two months.

In an effort to slow the spread of COVID-19, Gov Cuomo announced a number of new restrictions. All restaurants, bars and gyms must now close each night by 10 p.m. Cuomo also announced indoor and outdoor gatherings at private residences will be limited to no more than 10 people.