Despite cases and hospitalizations decreasing in Albany County since Friday, there have been five new COVID-19-related deaths.

County Executive Dan McCoy said Friday in a statement that the five new deaths, four of them people in their 80s, brings the county's death toll to 562 since the start of the pandemic.

"These individuals are unfortunate reminders that this virus is still a danger for many, but especially for those who are not vaccinated, and those with underlying health conditions and weakened immune systems," McCoy said in a statement.

Hospitalizations are down over the last four days, to a total of 43. Five of those are currently in intensive care. There have been 100 new positive cases in the county in the last day; Albany County's seven-day average of new daily positive cases is down from 218.5 to 189.8.

The county is asking people who test positive using at-home kits to submit those results on their website through this online link.