The Tompkins County Health Department announced 61 new positive COVID-19 cases, along with one more death on Monday in a press release.
Most of these cases came from spread within households and small gatherings, such as Thanksgiving celebrations and holiday parties, according to TCHD. There are currently 293 active COVID-19 cases in Tompkins County, a record high.
“We are seeing in real-time how quickly COVID-19 spreads and the ripple effect that our actions have on others close to us, as well as on the wider community,” Tompkins County Public Health Director Frank Kruppa wrote in the release.
The death was related to a recent outbreak at the Oak Hill Manor nursing home in Ithaca, the third death connected to the cluster.
“Our thoughts are with the family of the individual who passed today, and with all of those who are impacted by COVID-19,” Kruppa wrote. “We all have a responsibility to keep each other healthy and stop the disease from spreading and hurting others.”
Cases have been spiking throughout the country after Thanksgiving weekend. On Dec. 6, the New York Times reported 1,111 new coronavirus deaths and 173,457 new cases in the United States.
“We all have a responsibility to keep each other healthy and stop the disease from spreading and hurting others,” Kruppa wrote.