Two new deaths related to COVID-19 were reported Monday by the Chautauqua County Department of Health. The deaths include a man in his 50s and a woman in her 80s.

To date, 12 county residents have died due to complications associated with the coronavirus.

“Today’s update is a stark reminder that the novel coronavirus continues to circulate in our area and while some people have no symptoms or only mild symptoms, individuals of any age can become infected,” said Christine Schuyler, county public health director. “Those with any underlying medical conditions remain at an increased risk for severe illness and even death from COVID-19.”

Since Friday, the county Health Department has reported 23 new cases of the coronavirus. Of those cases, nine are in the Dunkirk zip code, one in Forestville, three in Fredonia, five in Jamestown, two in Brocton, one in Frewsburg, one in Lakewood and one in Stockton.

As of Monday, there were 51 active cases for those who continue to recover under orders from local health officials.

In addition, 299 county residents remain under quarantine/isolation, as well as 24 people under domestic traveler quarantine, 635 recoveries, 698 total confirmed cases and 47,251 negative test results.

CUOMO ORDERS SOME NYC SCHOOLS CLOSED

Gov. Andrew Cuomo said Monday he’s ordering schools in certain New York City neighborhoods closed within a day in an attempt to halt a flare-up of the coronavirus.

The governor took the action a day after the city’s mayor, Bill de Blasio, asked the state for permission to reinstate restrictions on businesses and schools in nine ZIP codes in Brooklyn and Queens where the virus was spreading more quickly.

Cuomo said the closures would take place by today, a day ahead of when the mayor wanted.

“These clusters have to be attacked,” Cuomo said, likening the state to a field of dry grass ready to ignite if burning embers aren’t put out fast.

He said schools in the areas where the virus was spreading hadn’t been doing enough testing of students and staff to identify possibly outbreaks and he could no longer guarantee they were safe.

Cuomo said he consulted by phone shortly before the news conference with the mayor, the city comptroller, city council speaker and the head of the city’s teachers union.

The mayor’s plan, which required state approval, would close about 100 public schools and 200 private schools including religious schools.

As outlined by the mayor, it would also shutter nonessential businesses and force restaurants to go back to offering takeout, just a week after they were cleared to begin welcoming diners back indoors. Cuomo’s news conference was continuing and he didn’t immediately comment on that aspect of the proposal.

Most of the neighborhoods targeted by the restrictions are home to part of the city’s large Orthodox Jewish community, where many religious schools resumed in-person instruction in early September.