How many people hospitalized with COVID-19 are ‘incidental’ admissions ?

New York – Governor Kathy Hochul required this week that hospitals begin reporting how many people were admitted because they had COVID-19 symptoms compared to those who were there for unrelated reasons and tested positive.

In the Finger Lakes region, one out of three COVID-positive patients at hospitals was not admitted for COVID-19.

According to the state data released, around 33% of people who were admitted to the hospital- and also COVID-positive, were not there because their COVID symptoms became so serious that it required hospitalization.

43% of people across the entire state reported in hospitals as being COVID-positive were not admitted for COVID or COVID symptoms.

20% of hospitalized patients in Central New York make up the non-COVID symptom pool.

In the Southern Tier, it’s even closer to the state average- sitting at 39% of total admissions testing positive for COVID despite being there for non-COVID reasons.