Albany County is reporting 147 new COVID-19 cases in one day, the highest increase in cases since the start of the pandemic, County Executive Dan McCoy announced at a news conference Saturday.

McCoy said the direction the county is heading is “scaring the hell” out of him. He’s asking people to wake up and help fight the virus.

Of the new cases, nine are health care workers, four traveled outside of the state, and 54 didn’t have a clear source of infection, according to the county.

McCoy said he found it hard to believe 54 people didn’t leave their homes, go to the store, or didn’t go anywhere they could have potentially been exposed to coronavirus.

“You’re not doing us any favors,” he said. “Help us save lives, help us stop the spread, help us do our job. That’s all I want from you.”

McCoy said hospitalization rate is 0.86% and there are nine patients in the ICU.  The last time the ICU numbers were this high was April 30.

The five day average in the county has hit an all-time high. Fourty-seven of the new cases reported Saturday were connected to the University at Albany. McCoy thanked the university staff, saying they’re doing a good job.

A third of the new positive cases can be traced back to the university.