Three more local nursing home deaths are being attributed to COVID-19.

Oneida County Executive Anthony Picente opened his daily briefing on Wednesday sharing the sad news of three more coronavirus deaths, along with 23 new positive cases. And, Picente said 14 of those 23 new positive cases were also tied to local nursing homes.

To date, Onieda County has lost 46 residents to coronavirus, 33 of those deaths have come from nursing homes Picente said. As a percentage, 72% of the county's COVID-19 fatalities have come from nursing homes.

Meanwhile, the number of county residents hospitalized for coronavirus has come down slightly. As of Wednesday afternoon, health officials said 37 were being cared for at MVHS facilities, 3 at Rome Memorial and 3 outside the county. That is a reduction of three from the previous day.

The Mohawk Valley Region is readying for a Phase Two start on Friday. That opening includes Professional Services, Retail, Administrative Support, Real Estate / Rental & Leasing. Among the professional services are salons and barbershops, we believe. Picente said the state has yet to offer any guidance about how those establishments could reopen, and we're less than 48 hours away. When asked if it was certain those businesses would be allowed to open-up on Friday, Picente said he awaiting clarification from Cuomo and said it may be ''too late to stop them'' from flipping the 'Closed' sign to 'Open.'

''We go by the governor's word and he said it was phase 2...I am assuming they can [open],'' Picente said.

Picente is also reminding business to sign the Business Affirmation, on the governor's NY Forward website. That is required for every business, those who were deemed esstential, those that opened in Phase 1 and those set to reopen in Phases 2,3 and 4.

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