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Third Person Tests Positive For Coronavirus In County

Christine Schuyler

A third person has tested positive for the coronavirus in Chautauqua County.

Christine Schuyler, public health director, said the individual lives in the Ashville area and recently traveled to New York City.

“It is very likely that our county we will have more confirmed cases,” Schuyler said in the county’s daily coronavirus news letter. “Our goal is to identify new cases quickly and prevent or limit secondary exposures to ensure public health and safety.”

The county said as of Tuesday afternoon, 14 people were in mandatory quarantine; nine were in precautionary quarantine; and 40 were in mandatory isolation.

On Monday, county health officials announced the first two cases of the virus, a Dunkirk area resident and a Silver Creek area resident. Both had recently traveled to Buffalo, but none have required hospitalization.

Schuyler said public health nurses are continuing their intensive epidemiological investigations to identify the close contacts of those with confirmed cases of COVID-19. Once identified, they notify the close household and proximal contacts of their potential exposure to COVID-19 and they are placed under the appropriate level of quarantine to monitor for symptoms.

“We are aware that many full-time Chautauqua County residents are concerned about seasonal residents, most of who own homes/property and pay property and school taxes in Chautauqua County, returning from areas outside of the county during this pandemic,” she said. “As of today, there is no travel ban on in-state or interstate travel. Although Gov. Cuomo requested New Yorkers limit non-essential travel, at this time there is no shelter-in-place or lock-down order. This means that residents who winter in warmer areas and residents who summer here are free to travel to their homes in our community. The County’s COVID-19 Response Team is working collaboratively with seasonal communities such as the Chautauqua Institution, Lily Dale, and campgrounds to ensure precautionary messages are shared with residents.

“At this point, it’s not about the actual travel by car or where people are coming from. What really matters is what people do when they arrive and how we interact,” said Schuyler. “The guidance for social distancing and hygiene are the same for Chautauqua County residents whether they live here year-round or seasonally. When everyone adheres to these commonsense pandemic rules, we slow and limit community spread of illness.”

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