Nine new positive COVID-19 test results were reported Monday by the Cattaraugus County Health Department.
Public Health Director Dr. Kevin D. Watkins said both Allegany and Erie counties in Western New York had high positive COVID-19 rates — although Allegany County saw lower numbers in the past two days.
After Allegany County saw a total of 84 new cases in three days late last week, the county recorded 14 new cases on Sunday and only three cases on Monday.
Gov. Andrew Cuomo designated much of Erie County a yellow zone, the least restrictive of the state’s new “mini-cluster” restrictions.
It would limit mass gatherings to 25 people, require 20% of public school students and staff be tested weekly and restaurants would be limited to four-person tables. Bars will have to close at midnight.
Watkins said those new restrictions are in store for counties with positive testing rates of 3% for a rolling average. “That’s an indication that there needs to be a review,” he said.
“Our rate has started to decrease slightly,” Watkins said. This (Monday) morning, our rate was 1.4%. The seven-day rolling average is 1.9% and the 14-day rolling average is 2.5%.
“That’s under the 3% the governor is looking at as a red herring,” Watkins said. “We’re just barely out of it.”
Watkins said community spread of the coronavirus continues in the county, as “mini-clusters” seem to have subsided for now.
On Monday, test results showed five women and four men — one a couple from the southeast part of the county — with positive COVID-19 tests.
Of the five women, three were from the southeast part of the county, one was from the northeast and one from the northwest. Four of the five had symptoms of COVID-19 and one was without symptoms. Three had contact with a person known to have COVID-19. One woman who was symptomatic recently traveled to Oklahoma.
Two of the men were symptomatic and two were without symptoms and two had contact with a known COVID-19 person. One man who was asymptomatic was tested as part of a preoperative procedure.
Watkins said the county Health 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.”
Any resident who experiences fever, cough, shortness of breath or whole body aches should contact their health care provider, Watkins said.
It remains important to wear masks and practice social distancing and wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds. 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.
To determine the prevalence of COVID-19 in the community, any resident interested in getting tested, can register for a test at www.cattco.org/covid-19-test or call (716) 938-9119 or (716) 938-2265.
