Melanie Lekocevic reports for Columbia-Greene Media that on July 2 there was one case of COVID-19 in Greene County. On Aug. 2 there were 19 cases. Now there are over 100. There are now cases in the Cairo, Catskill, Greenville and Coxsackie school districts too. “Currently, Greene County Public Health has 100 active cases, 70 percent of these cases are unvaccinated,” Laura Churchill, deputy director of Greene County Public Health, said Sept. 17. There are 13 Greene County residents hospitalized and 85 percent of them are unvaccinated. “I believe all hospitalizations are folks with underlying issues,” Greene County Administrator Shaun Groden said Sept. 17. Of the 100 active cases, 27 percent are minors under 18, and 18.5 percent of the infections are among individuals who have been fully vaccinated, Churchill said. Groden, who is not a scientist, said, “As far as we know, there is no definitive reason for increases, other than normal travel about town. Or the fact that the delta variant spreads much easier. That is a big difference. The delta is a much more efficient virus, as it can jump easier to others.” The spread in Greene County seems linked to the lack of vaccinations there. Only 58. 4 percent of Greene County residents have received at least one dose of a vaccine, according to the state's tracking website. That is well below the levels in surrounding counties. Columbia County, for instance, is at 66.9 percent of its residents with at least one dose of a vaccine, while Albany County is at 70.9 percent, Rensselaer County is at 64.1 percent, Dutchess County is at 65.8 percent, and Ulster County is at 70.6 percent. Read more about this story at HudsonValley360.com.