A 91-year-old woman is the third person in Cattaraugus County to die from COVID-19-related causes.

The Cattaraugus County Health Department said in a news release on its website that the woman was a 91-year-old woman who developed sudden respiratory failure and was unable to overcome her illness despite aggressive medical treatment.

Additionally, the county was notified of two additional confirmed cases of COVID-19 residents within Cattaraugus County. The department’s active positive COVID-19 caseload is now 19, with 41 people having recovered from the novel coronavirus.

The sixty-first confirmed case is a woman who lives in the southeast quadrant of the county and is a health care worker in a nursing home in Cattaraugus County. She was tested for COVID-19 on May 20 as part of a recent requirement of all nursing home employees and on May 23 her test results indicated that she was positive for the virus. She reports being asymptomatic with no cough, no fever, no body aches, etc. for the most part and denies any contact with a known positive COVID-19 person.

The sixty-second confirmed case is a female resident who resides in the southwest quadrant of the county who is a health care worker in a nursing home in Erie County. She was tested for COVID-19 on May 22 as part of a recent requirement of all nursing home employees and on May 24 her test results indicated that she was positive for the virus. She reports being asymptomatic for the most part and denies any contact with a known positive COVID-19 person.

The department has begun a thorough contact tracing investigation for those individuals that they have been in contact with and the places that they have visited.

Cattaraugus County Health Department officials ask county residents to avoid any non-essential travel, especially to areas where there is community wide spread of COVID-19. If travel is necessary wear a homemade cloth face mask while in public and maintain social distancing, at least 6 feet away from other people.

Anyone who experiences fever, cough, shortness of breath or whole body aches should contact their health care provider.

Wash hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds. This is especially important after using the bathroom, coughing, sneezing or blowing one’s nose.

If soap and water is not available, use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer that contains a minimum of 60% alcohol.

Avoid touching eyes, nose and mouth, especially with unwashed hands.

Disinfect commonly touched surfaces with a cleaner that is approved by the EPA against COVID-19.

Those who feel sick should stay home.

Any resident interested in getting a swab test can register for a test or call 938-9119 or 938-2265