Coronavirus updates: What you need to know in Rochester on Memorial Day

ROCHESTER, NY — This is the latest information about the coronavirus pandemic in Rochester and Monroe County as reported by the Democrat and Chronicle and USA TODAY Network staff. 

Latest COVID-19 numbers from Monroe County

Deaths

There were 3 new deaths since Saturday, May 23, bringing the total to 194.

Hospitalized

Of the 2,648 confirmed cases, 176 people are hospitalized; 15 of the 176 patients are in the ICU on a ventilator.

Active cases

There are currently 1,077 active cases in Monroe County. 

Additional information available at the Monroe County dashboard. 

New cases                             

There are 21 new confirmed cases of COVID-19 since the update on Saturday, May 23.

These new individuals include:

• 7 Females in their 20s
• 2 Females in their 30s
• 1 Male in his 30s
• 1 Female in her 40s
• 1 Female in her 50s
• 1 Male in his 50s
• 1 Female in her 60s
• 1 Male in his 60s
• 1 Female in her 70s
• 1 Female in her 80s
• 2 Males in their 80s
• 1 Female in her 90s
• 1 Male in his 90s

For additional details including age and gender breakdown of previous cases refer to the Monroe County online archive of daily press releases.

Testing data from New York state

846 people were tested in Monroe County on May 23, with 36 of them testing positive according to the state.

The total number of people tested is 41,924 and currently the percentage of people testing positive is 6.4% according to state data.

Additional data is available at the state health dashboard on testing rates and fatalities.

These are the beaches that will open Memorial Day weekend

In western New York, you have two options: Beaver Island and Woodlawn state parks, both open 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Beaver Island is on the Niagara River between lakes Erie and Ontario and Woodlawn is on Lake Erie.

For the most part, other Great Lakes beaches wouldn't be open by Memorial Day anyway. Hamlin Beach State Park in Monroe County, for example, isn't slated to open until June 22, according to the State Parks website.

Swimming in the Great Lakes wouldn't be terribly enjoyable at this time of year: The temperature in Lake Ontario was in the 40s as of Thursday, according to the National Weather Service.

Among the new rules:

• Capacity will be limited to 50% .
• Bathrooms and locker rooms’ capacity will be restricted to 50%.
• No group activities with contact (football, volleyball, etc.)
• Picnic areas, playgrounds, pavilions and other areas that encourage social gatherings will be closed.
• Social distancing will be enforced.
• Workers and visitors must wear masks when social distancing is not possible.
• Concession stands will be closed.

'Totally different': New York tourist spots brace for uncertain summer

Destination towns and villages across the state are struggling to navigate the reopening as New Yorkers battle both the largest number of coronavirus cases in the country and a collective urge to resume their normal lives.

Many of these areas — places like Old Forge,Lake George,Alexandria Bay — desperately need an influx of visitors to keep local businesses going.

A recent trip by the USA TODAY Network New York to many upstate tourism spots found COVID-19 has created uncertainty and anxiousness over what the summer will hold, starting now with Memorial Day weekend.

In many upstate tourism areas, the true summer season doesn't pick up until late June, early July. So some seasonal attractions, like Enchanted Forest Water Safari in Old Forge, weren't even planning to open until June anyway. 

But still, restaurants and bars that would normally be open year-round have paper signs taped up to the front door announcing closures.

NY throws lifeline to horses and farms, allowing riding lessons to resume 

Horse barn owners, desperate to generate income during the coronavirus shutdown and worried some horses could be sent to slaughter if New York continued to ban lessons, received good news Friday.

Gov. Andrew Cuomo's office confirmed riding lessons should be permitted beginning next week.

The only area in the state not affected by the order is New York City, where conronavirus deaths and hospitalizations have not fallen sufficiently for the area to be included in the partial reopening.

The state, which has decided to list riding lessons under non-food-related agricultural activities, rather than Phase 4 recreation, is permitting lessons to be conducted only outdoors. While it says they must be by appointment-only, there's no mention of how many students may participate.

Play ball! New York sports teams get approval to start training camps

ALBANY - Professional sports without fans took a step forward Sunday as Gov. Andrew Cuomo gave the go-ahead for teams in New York to start training camps.

The NBA and NHL seasons were stopped in mid-March, and the MLB season has been on hold after the coronavirus pandemic swept the nation, particularly New York, which has the most cases and death in the nation.

Other sports leagues have also been on hold, with hopes to resume operations this summer and with efforts by the NHL and NBA to resume their seasons in the coming months.

Cuomo said New York teams should be able to start practices in hopes of getting their seasons underway without fans.

"I believe that sports that can come back without having people in the stadium, without having people in the arena, do it. Do it," Cuomo said Sunday at his briefing at Jones Beach on Long Island.

Desperate rats are brazenly searching for food during the coronavirus pandemic, CDC warns

They are furry and they are furious – and they may be the most desperate of diners to yearn for restaurants to unlock from shutdown. 

Rats, it seems, haven't been satisfied with curbside pickup or delivery during the coronavirus pandemic.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is warning that rodent populations – which rely on a banquet of scraps and waste in restaurant dumpsters – are spiking in certain areas. Restaurant trash bins are no longer overflowing, and the famished creatures are scrambling for new sources of food.   

"Jurisdictions have closed or limited service at restaurants and other commercial establishments to help limit the spread of COVID-19. Community-wide closures have led to a decrease in food available to rodents, especially in dense commercial areas," the CDC said. "Some jurisdictions have reported an increase in rodent activity."

Contact Matthew Leonard mmleonard@gannett.com or follow him on Twitter @mleonardmedia.

Local journalism benefits from your support, consider becoming a subscriber.