Chautauqua County now has a total of fourteen confirmed cases of COVID-19, with one new confirmed case reported today. The newest case involves a woman in her 50s.

Of the 14 confirmed positive cases in Chautauqua County:

· 5 people have recovered and were released from mandatory quarantine;

· 8 persons are continuing to recover under mandatory quarantine as ordered by the Local Health Official per NYS Public Health Law; and

· 1 person has died.

There have been 166 negative test results to date.

Isolation and quarantine orders by the Public Health Director:

· 17 individuals in Mandatory Quarantine (individuals confirmed positive of COVID-19 or a household contact of a confirmed positive COVID-19 case);

20 individuals in Precautionary Quarantine (individuals with travel history to CDC level 3 country or proximal contact of a confirmed case of COVID-19);

85 individuals in Mandatory Isolation (individuals who are symptomatic of COVID-19 and are pending COVID-19 lab test).

IMPORTANT INFORMATION ABOUT POSITIVE COVID-19 CASES:

Chautauqua County Public Health staff is conducting investigations to identify close contacts of positive COVID-19 cases. Following guidance from the state Health Department, contact tracing begins on the day the person with the positive test started having symptoms. The state Health Department deems this the beginning of the infectious period. Once identified, the local Health Department notifies the close contacts of their potential exposure to COVID-19 and they are placed under mandatory or precautionary quarantine to monitor for symptoms. Those who do not personally hear from a public health nurse are not a close contact of an individual who has been confirmed to have COVID-19. According to the state Health Department, close contact refers to a person who cared for or lived with a person with COVID-19. It does not include activities such as walking by a person or sitting across a waiting room or office for a brief time.

IMPORTANT INFORMATION ABOUT TESTING SUPPLIES AND PERSONAL PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT (PPE)

Testing supplies and PPE (used when doing a test and treating infected patients) continue to be in low supply across the state and especially in rural areas where population density is low. Tests must be prioritized for hospitalized patients, ill healthcare workers and those who have underlying health conditions. There are three locations in Chautauqua County where outpatient testing is performed: UPMC’s Jones Hill Center; the Chautauqua Center in Jamestown and Dunkirk. Testing is not done without a healthcare provider’s order.

Federal and state officials are now recommending the wearing of homemade masks or scarves by the general public. Doing so will protect the public from your respiratory droplets. It is now estimated that 30% of those infected with coronavirus don’t know they are infected. This is one more step to try and decrease the spread of coronavirus. (Surgical masks and N-95 respirators are for healthcare workers only.)

‘TIS THE SEASON…

For golfing, camping, bicycling, fishing, hiking…and the list goes on.

These activities are healthy to undertake.

When participating in an outdoor activity that is more public than raking your yard or running by yourself along a country road, it is important to stay six feet apart from others, wash your hands, and don’t touch your face.

What this means is:

· Don’t share equipment. Everyone uses their own.

· One person in a golf cart (unless you are family members that live together).

· One person in a bathroom.

· No shaking hands.

· No hugging.

· No head to head contact.

· Congregating groups are not allowed.

· Stand up for yourself – if someone is too close, move away and ask them to keep a 6-foot distance.