On April 17, Johns Hopkins University researchers announced the world surpassed three million deaths from COVID-19. Locally on April 15, Columbia County reached 4,000 COVID-19 cases, and Greene County reached 3,000. Albany County also announced another death on April 19. "It's alarming, seeing the uptick in deaths and we haven't seen this in a long time" Albany County Executive Dan McCoy said. That's the bad news. The good news is that nationally, all adults are now eligible for vaccination. Locally, counties are approaching 50 percent of the adult population who have received at least one dose of a vaccine. Albany County is at 49.2 percent, according to the state's web site tracking vaccinations. Ulster County is also close, at 48.6 percent, followed by Columbia County at 45.3 percent, Rensselaer County at 44 percent, Dutchess County at 43.9 percent, and Greene County at 40.3 percent. Schoharie County and Delaware County continue to trail the Hudson Valley counties, at 35 percent, and 34.4 percent, respectively.

"It's alarming, seeing the uptick in deaths and we haven't seen this in a long time" Albany County Executive Dan McCoy said after announcing a woman in her 40's that passed away from COVID last night, brings the total to 372 in the county. @theAEnews pic.twitter.com/skSUwmXKmb

— Mike Koff (@Mike_Photograph) April 19, 2021