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County Confirms 2 Dunkirk Students Test For Virus

The Chautauqua County Department of Health said two students within the Dunkirk School District have tested positive for COVID-19.

Christine Schuyler, county public health director, confirmed the two positive cases. The students have been attending school through distance learning only and were already being monitored by public health staff.

On Thursday, Superintendent Michael Mansfield attempted to clear up some of the confusion regarding the positive cases.

“On the Sept. 15 New York Department of Health COVID-19 Report Card it was erroneously reported that two students from Dunkirk Elementary School 7 had tested positive for COVID-19,” Mansfield said. “The report was inaccurate due to human error in creating the report card submission on 9/15/2020. To clarify – the human error regarding the state report card caused the cases to be reported as on-site learning instead of off-site.”

Mansfield went on to say that the children have begun their remote learning but have not been present at School 7.

“The district is working closely with the health department and apologize for any confusion stemming from the reporting on the state report card,” Mansfield added.

NEW CASES

The Chautauqua County Department of Health reported two new cases of COVID-19 on Thursday, of which one resides in Portland and the other in Fredonia. There are currently 51 active cases by those who continue to recover under orders of local health officials.

The county Health Department said there are currently three active cases, and one community contact, among employees at Fieldbrook Foods Inc. in Dunkirk; 82 people associated with the plant have recovered.

As of Thursday, 285 county residents were in quarantine or isolation as well as 31 people under domestic traveler quarantine, four residents with COVID-19 hospitalized, 532 recoveries, 10 deaths, 594 total confirmed cases to date and 40,092 negative test results.

After the county released its daily statistics, parents in the Cassadaga Valley School District were notified that a student at Sinclairville Elementary School had tested positive for the virus.

“The individual case involves a student who is enrolled in but because the child has been following Chautauqua County Department of Health quarantine/isolation guidelines, this individual has not been in our building or on our campus this school year,” Cassadaga Valley Superintendent Chuck Leichner said.

“Since the health department has identified this individual they are expected to follow the DOH’s quarantine/isolation guidelines and will not return to school until they have completed the quarantine/isolation procedures for COVID-19 as directed by the Department of Health.”

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