MAYVILLE – There are no new confirmed cases of COVID-19 reported for Chautauqua County, but the county health commissioner says she believes the virus is spreading.
The Chautauqua County COVID-19 Response team reported Wednesday afternoon that there were still only three confirmed cases of COVID-19: one in Ashville, one in Dunkirk, and one in Silver Creek. There are also several residents under isolation and quarantine orders, including:
- 11 people in Mandatory Quarantine – meaning they are a confirmed positive COVID-19 case or a household contact of a confirmed positive COVID-19 case;
- 21 people are in Precautionary Quarantine because their travel history indicates they went to CDC level 3 country or were in proximal contact of a confirmed case of COVID-19;
- 52 are in Mandatory Isolation because they are symptomatic of COVID-19 and are awaiting a lab test.
On Wednesday night the Chautauqua County Legislature held its monthly voting session through video conference and Health Commissioner Christine Schuyler said that while the confirmed case count is still low, it’s likely the virus is here and is spreading.
“I firmly believe that COVID-19 is at the level of community spread, meaning that regardless of our ability to test or even to have a large number of positive tests, the virus is here and without the extensive community mitigation strategies that are being deployed it will spread at a rampant rate,” Schuyler said.
Schuyler also noted that members of her team are working to identify as many people as possible who may have been in contact with one of the three confirmed cases.
“My public health nurses are doing intensive epidemiological investigations. That entails a lot of contact tracing to determine who has been in contact with anyone who has a positive case,” Schuyler said.
The health department also said that it will publicize locations where positive cases may have been prior to diagnosis if the epidemiological investigation warrants it. So far, the health department has not provided information where the three confirmed cases may have been or worked prior to testing positive.
For most people, COVID-19 causes mild or moderate symptoms, such as fever and cough that clear up in two to three weeks. For some, especially older adults and people with existing health problems, it can cause more severe illness, including pneumonia and death.
Individuals with questions or concerns regarding COVID-19 or travel related questions are encouraged to call the New York State Department of Health Coronavirus Hotline 24/7 at 1-888-364-3065.
If you are overwhelmed mentally and feeling stress due to the COVID-19 crisis, the NYS Office of Mental Health is offering a COVID-19 Emotional Support Line 1-844-863-9314.
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