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Health Department

As of Friday, March 27, 2020, Cattaraugus County Health Department was notified of its first confirmed case of COVID-19. The reporting laboratory was Quest out of Pittsburgh.

A female resident who lives in the northwest part of the county with a recent travel history to NYC and Buffalo who became ill on March 17th, was seen at a Wellness clinic on March 22nd in Dunkirk and diagnosed with influenza. However her symptoms of shortness of breath did not improve, and by her account, actually worsen. She was seen at Brooks Memorial on March 24th where a COVID 19 test was conducted, results were released today, March 27th which indicated that she was positive for COVID-19.

The patient is resting at home, isolated, and the rest of the family is now under quarantine.

The Department has begun contact tracing to determine if there are any other exposures in the area. The family will be assessed for any medical support that we can provide and we will monitor their symptoms closely.

Though this is Cattaraugus County's first confirmed positive case, we suspect that other cases are out there.

We are asking our residents to bunker 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.

We would like to reiterate that any resident experiencing a fever, cough, shortness of breath or whole body aches should contact their health care provider (avoid going directly to Urgent Care, or ER 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.

Cover your cough and sneeze (away from others, into your elbow or into a tissue and not in your hands-immediately throw tissue away in trash).

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.

For continued updates visit us at CattCo.org/Coronavirus.


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