Governor Cuomo issues new Yellow Zones in CNY and WNY

ALBANY, N.Y. (WSYR-TV) -- After the first New Yorker received a COVID-19 vaccine on Monday morning, Governor Andrew Cuomo issued new Yellow Zones for parts of New York State.

A Yellow Zone is when the positive infection rate is over 3% for the past ten days, or on a rolling seven-day average. Those in new Yellow Zones include:

• Parts of Oneida County, including Rome and Utica

• Parts of Niagara County

• Parts of Genesee County

Maps will be released later this afternoon showing a more defined zone.

Cuomo is reminding people that small gatherings and living room spread is what is causing 74% of the new infection rates across the state.

“That is the problem. The world has changed since the spring. In the spring the problem was going out. The problem now is inviting people over,” Cuomo said. “I get it, but this is where it spreads.”

Cuomo warns that if New Yorkers don't start controlling the spread, there could be 3,500 more deaths and over 11,000 in the hospital.

Here are the daily COVID-19 numbers for Monday:

Click the video player below to watch the briefing: