Cattaraugus County Health Department was notified of its twenty-ninth confirmed case of COVID-19.  The reporting laboratory was Wadsworth Center –Biggs Laboratory, Albany, NY.

A male resident that resides in the southwestern part of the county with no significant travel history, developed fever, dry cough, fatigue and loss of taste. He contacted his medical provider who tested him for COVID-19 on April 15th. The result of his test on April 16th indicated that he was positive for COVID-19.

The patient is resting at home, and now under quarantine with his family. He and his family will be assessed for any medical support that we can provide and we will monitor their symptoms closely.

The department has begun a thorough contact tracing investigation for those individuals that they have been in contact with and the places that they have visited.

We continue to ask our residents to hunker down, and avoid any non-essential travel, especially to areas where there is community wide spread of COVID-19 otherwise, you place your family and other Cattaraugus County residents at risk.   If travel is necessary, please wear a homemade cloth face mask while in public and maintain social distancing, at least 6 feet away from other people.

We would like to reiterate that if any resident experience  fever, cough, shortness of breath or whole body aches they should contact their health care provider (avoid going directly to an Urgent Care facility, or the 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.)

Questions or concerns, please contact the Cattaraugus County Health Department at 716-373-8050, or visit us at Cattco.org.