Rensselaer County has confirmed its 10th COVID-19-related death in the county, with half of them coming from a Schaghticoke nursing home.

The county said a 71-year-old man living at Diamond Hill Nursing and Rehabilitation was the latest victim in the county. He "died and was then tested and found to be positive for COVID-19," read a release from the county.

MORE COVERAGE

Seven new cases were confirmed in the county, ranging in age from 17 to 71 (the latter being the deceased Diamond Hill patient). That brings the county's total to 213 confirmed COVID-19 cases, 18 of them confirmed at Diamond Hill.

County officials are fitting nurses at Diamond Hill for N-95 masks to try and get the outbreak there under control. County Executive Steve McLaughlin said that although it wasn't a state requirement, he knew it was important to do.

"The folks at the nursing home are by definition, vulnerable," he said. "You want to do all you can, and we have been doing all we can. But we're always trying to find a way to do more. When we found out that it was not a requirement, it just didn't make sense to us."

County health officials say they will be reaching out to every nursing home and assisted living facility in the county to offer the same service.

Fifteen Rensselaer County residents are currently hospitalized, with three in intensive care. Fourteen people were listed Thursday as recovered, bringing that total to 105.

BE INFORMED