MARCH 29, 2020
Cattaraugus County Health Department was notified of three additional confirmed positive cases of COVID-19. The reporting laboratory was Wadsworth Laboratory in Albany, NY.
A male resident who lives in the northwest part of the county with a travel history to NYC and Buffalo who has been asymptomatic (no fever, no cough or shortness of breath) but has been in close contact with a known positive COVID-19 patient tested positive. He was tested by Cattaraugus County Health Department for COVID-19 on March 27th and the test result (returned on March 28th) indicated that he was positive for COVID-19.
A female resident who lives in the northwest part of the county with a travel history to Buffalo who has been asymptomatic (no fever, no cough or shortness of breath) but has been in close contact with a known positive COVID-19 patient tested positive. She was tested by Cattaraugus County Health Department for COVID-19 on March 27th and the test result (returned on March 28th) indicated that she was positive for COVID-19.
Both patients are resting at home, and now under quarantine. They will be assessed for any medical support that we can provide and we will monitor their symptoms closely.
A male resident who lives in the southeast part of the county with no known travel history who presented to the emergency room at Olean General Hospital with complaints of fever, cough and diarrhea. He was admitted with pneumonia and tested for COVID-19 on March 27th and on March 28th, the test result indicated that he was positive for COVID-19. Upon discharge today, he and his family will be quarantined and assessed daily for any medical support that we can provide and we will monitor their symptoms closely.
The Cattaraugus County Health Department has begun contact tracing and will notify any close contacts and facilities visited by any of the confirmed positives.
There are now five (5) confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Cattaraugus County. Residents of Cattaraugus County should assume that there is community wide spread of the COVID-19 in the area.
We continue to ask our residents to bunker down, and avoid any non-essential travel, especially to areas where there is community spread of COVID-19, otherwise, you place your family and other Cattaraugus County residents at risk.
We would like to reiterate that if any residents experience fever, cough, shortness of breath or whole body aches should contact their health care provider first (avoid going directly to the Urgent Care facility or Emergency Room before calling).
Finally, wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds. This is especially important after using the bathroom, coughing, sneezing or blowing your nose.
If soap and water is not available, use an alcohol-based hand-sanitizer that contains a minimum of 60% alcohol.
Avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth, especially with unwashed hands.
Disinfect commonly touched surfaces with a cleaner that is approved by the EPA against COVID-19.
Please stay home if you are sick (at least 24 hours after fever ends).
For questions or concerns, please contact the Cattaraugus County Health Department at 716-373-8050.
For continued updates visit us at CattCo.org/Coronavirus.
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