MAYVILLE – Chautauqua County health officials say there were no new new cases of COVID-19 reported in Chautauqua County for Tuesday, keeping the total number of confirmed cases for the county at 19.
According to the Chautauqua County Department of Health and Human Services, of those 19 cases, two people have died and eight have recovered. Another nine cases remain active and those individuals continue to recover.
Health officials say a total of 84 people are under quarantine/isolation orders and are being monitored. Not all of those being monitored are confirmed to have COVID-19 but have either shown symptoms, are awaiting results, or have risk factors.
There have also been 204 negative test results to date.
For most people, the virus causes mild to moderate symptoms such as fever and cough. But for some, especially older adults and the infirm, it can cause pneumonia.
The County Health Department is reminding residents that if you go out, please start to journal the details about where you go.
“Coronavirus is out there, and you will encounter it. Every time you come within 6 feet of someone, you are increasing your chances of contracting the virus. When I call you, because you have come in contact with someone who has COVID-19, I am going to ask details about where you have been, so be ready. Or, better yet, just stay home,” County Health Commissioner Christine Schuyler wrote on Facebook.
The health department also said that Chautauqua County Public Health staff is conducting investigations to identify close contacts of positive COVID-19 cases.
Following guidance from the State Health department, contact tracing will begin 48 hours before the day the person with the positive test started having symptoms. NYSDOH deems this the beginning of the infectious period.
Once identified, the department notifies the close contacts of their potential exposure to COVID-19 and they are placed under mandatory or precautionary quarantine to monitor for symptoms.
“If you do not personally hear from a public health nurse, you are not a close contact of an individual who has been confirmed to have COVID-19. Per NYSDOH, close contact refers to a person who cared for or lived with a person with COVID-19. It does not include activities such as walking by a person or sitting across a waiting room or office for a brief time,” health officials say.
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