Orleans and Genesee today both are reporting a death from Covid-19.

In Orleans County, the person who passed away was a resident of The Villages of Orleans Health and Rehabilitation Center in Albion, which has now had 27 of its residents die from Covid-19. Orleans has now had 38 people die from Covid-19.

In Genesee County, a person over age 65 died from Covid-19. That person was in the hospital, the Genesee and Orleans County Health Departments reported this afternoon.

Genesee has now had five residents die after contracting the coronavirus.

Both counties are also reporting new confirmed cases of Covid-19. In Orleans County, the Health Department said there are two new cases – a community member form Ridgeway and a resident of Orchard Rehabilitation and Nursing Center in Medina. (Orchard has had 46 residents test positive.)

Of the new positive cases in the county, one of the individuals is in the 50s, and the other is in the 70s. The new positive community case was not on mandatory quarantine prior to testing positive.

The county has now had 236 people test positive for Covid-19.

Orleans also has two more recoveries, bringing that total to 77. There are 18 residents from Orleans hospitalized with Covid-19.

Genesee County has one new confirmed case of Covid-19, a person in the 50s who lives in Byron. Genesee has now had 190 cases of Covid-19.

The new positive case was not on mandatory quarantine prior to testing positive.

Genesee also has had two more recoveries in the community, bringing that total to 126. (With the four recoveries in the two counties, Genesee and Orleans have topped 200 recoveries – 203.)

Genesee County currently doesn’t have any residents hospitalized from Covid-19.

Click here to see an online map of confirmed cases in Genesee, Orleans and Wyoming counties.

The facility breakdown shows the total positive cases from facilities where the Health Departments have received a positive swab for Covid-19.

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Press Release, Genesee and Orleans County Health Departments

Provided photo – Front row: Mary Ellen Messmer, Deborah Restivo, Doris Delano and Kayla Shuknecht. Back row: Kerry Miller, Kerry Ohlson, Carla Wahls and Melissa Pless. Missing from photo: Gail Pettit.

The Genesee and Orleans County Health Departments’ nursing team has been recognized as a Tuberculosis Elimination Champion for 2020 by Centers for Disease Control and Prevention “Our nurses partner to test and treat TB disease and latent TB infection in migrant farmworker camps. Working together with Oak Orchard Health, a local federally funded qualified health center, they have adapted how they provide directly observed therapy to better match the schedules of their clients,” said Brendan Bedard, Deputy Public Health Director for the Health Departments. “This partnership allows them to provide TB screening and treatment for TB disease and latent TB infection to over 70 migrant farmworker camps in both counties.”

The cross-jurisdictional agreement between the two counties has allowed our nursing team to collaborate on projects such as this for the past 8 years. Not only does this help financially, but allows both counties to provide coordinated services in an effective and efficient manner.

“We are continuing in our efforts as chief health strategists to look at how our departments can combat illness and disability and assessing emerging health needs to improve community health,” stated Paul Pettit, Director of the Genesee and Orleans County Health Departments. “This team approach to monitor and address the needs of priority populations in the community will help in our efforts to eradicate TB. We commend our nursing team for their efforts and diligence.”

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MEDINA – Orchard Rehabilitation and Nursing Center has suffered another death of a resident from Covid-19, the 10^th total at the nursing home in Medina on Bates Road, the Genesee and Orleans County Health Departments reported this afternoon.

Orleans County has now had 37 residents die from Covid-19.

The county also has four new confirmed cases, with three of those at Orchard Rehab and Nursing Center. Orchard has now had 45 of its residents test positive for Covid-19. The three new cases include a resident in the 60s, one in the 70s and one in the 80s.

Orleans County also had a community resident in the 20s test positive for Covid-19. The county has now had 234 confirmed cases of Covid-19 since mid-March.

The new positive case in the community was not on mandatory quarantine prior to testing positive, the Health Department said.

Orleans County also has had two more people recover from having Covid-19, bringing the total recoveries to 75.

There are currently 19 people from Orleans hospitalized with the coronavirus.

In Genesee County, there is one new confirmed case, a person in the 20s from Batavia. The person was on mandatory quarantine prior to becoming symptomatic.

Genesee has now had 189 confirmed cases of Covid-19.

It has one resident currently hospitalized with the coronavirus.

Click here to see an online map of confirmed cases in Orleans, Genesee and Wyoming counties.

The facility breakdown shows the total positive cases from those facilities from where the Health Departments have received a positive swab for Covid-19.

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ALBION – Paul Pettit, Public Health director in Orleans and Genesee counties, will serve on the board of directors for the New York State Association of County Health Officials.

Pettit is a past president of NYSACHO, serving a term that started two years ago. NYSACHO was organized in 1979 and is a membership association representing the 58 local health departments in New York State.

The NYSACHO general membership meets monthly, providing a unique opportunity for the exchange of ideas and experiences among local public health officials as well as with other federal, state and local partners. NYSACHO strengthens the provision of local public health programs and services.

Dr. Kevin D. Watkins, Public Health Director of Cattaraugus County, is the group’s new president. Watkins has been the Public Health Director for the Cattaraugus County since 2009. He previously served as a primary care physician, research scientist, public health physician, and director of a faith and health outreach association.

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Press Release, Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s Office

Governor Andrew M. Cuomo today announced that New York dentists can reopen statewide tomorrow.

Dentists’ offices will be subject to state guidance on best practices for safety and social distancing. The Governor also updated New Yorkers on the state’s progress during the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic. New cases, hospitalizations, intubations and deaths are all declining as of yesterday.

“The reduction in New York’s new Covid-19 cases, hospitalizations, intubations and other metrics represent tremendous progress from where we were,” Governor Cuomo said. “We have gone through hell and back – we are on the other side and it’s a lesson for all of us, and we need to stay vigilant as we reopen different parts of the state so that we don’t backslide. I am also authorizing dentists to resume their practices statewide starting tomorrow as long as they follow health and safety guidelines that the state is laying out and that we have been discussing with them.”

The Governor also confirmed 1,110 additional cases of novel coronavirus, bringing the statewide total to 370,770 confirmed cases in New York State.

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There are four more confirmed cases of Covid-19 in Orleans County, with one of them a community resident and the other three at the Orchard Rehabilitation and Nursing Center in Medina.

Orleans County has now had 225 confirmed cases of Covid-19. The Orchard nursing home now has now had 40 cases among its residents.

Genesee County also has two new confirmed cases, both community members, bringing the Genesee total to 188, the Genesee and Orleans County Health Departments reported this afternoon.

Contact tracing has been initiated and all who have had direct contact with the individuals will be notified by Health Department staff. There is currently no further information to release on ages and location. Mapping to include the positive cases from the weekend will be updated on Monday afternoon by the Health Departments.

“Now that we are in Phase 2 we ask residents to continue social distancing, mask wearing, and proper hygiene even in the company of whom we trust the most – family, friends, and co-workers,” according to a news release from the Health Departments. “We also ask residents to be respectful of the business owners and wear masks while you are in their establishment. If you are unable to wear a mask due to a medical condition, call the business and ask for curbside delivery. We can all show people that we care and respect them by continuing these practices to keep everyone safe.”

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Orleans County has suffered two more deaths from Covid-19, both residents of the Orchard Rehabilitation and Nursing Center in Medina.

The county has now had 36 people die from Covid-19. Orchard has had nine of its residents die from Covid-19.

The county also has 10 new confirmed cases of Covid-19, bringing the total cases since mid-March to 221.

One of the new positive individuals resides in Albion, three live in Ridgeway, one is a resident of The Villages of Orleans Health & Rehabilitation Center in Albion, and five of the new positive individuals live at Orchard Rehabilitation and Nursing Center.

The Villages has now had 89 of its resident with confirmed cases of Covid-19, while Orchard has had 37 cases.

Of the new confirmed cases, one is under age 20, one is in the 20s, two are in the 50s, two are in the 60s, three are in their 70s, and one is in the 90s.

Two of the new positive cases were on mandatory quarantine prior to testing, the Genesee and Orleans County Health Departments said.

One more person has recovered from Covid-19, bringing the total recoveries in the county to 73.

Nineteen people from the county are currently hospitalized from Covid-19.

In Genesee County, there is one more confirmed case, bringing the county’s total to 186. The person who tested positive lives in Batavia and is in the 20s. The person was on mandatory quarantine prior to becoming symptomatic.

Two of the total active positive cases in Genesee are hospitalized.

Click here to see an online map with information about the confirmed cases in Genesee, Orleans and Wyoming counties.

From the Genesee and Orleans County Health Departments:

The facility breakdown only shows the total positive cases from those facilities from there has been a positive swab for COVID-19.

Phase 2 is now open in the Finger Lakes region! There are still limitations. We encourage business owners to go to the NY Forward website and click on Phase Two for more information.

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There has been another death from Covid-19 in Orleans County, bringing the total to 34 residents form the county who have passed away after contracting the coronavirus.

The latest death was a person who was a resident of the Orchard Rehabilitation and Nursing Center in Medina. That nursing home has now had 7 deaths from Covid-19.

The county has two new cases of Covid-19, with one at Orchard, where 32 of its residents have now tested positive for Covid-19.

The other confirmed case reported today is an Albion resident, the Genesee and Orleans County Health Departments reported. The county has now had 211 positive cases of the coronavirus.

Of the two new cases reported today, one of the new positive cases is in the 40s and the other is in the 80s. None of the new positive cases were on mandatory quarantine prior to testing positive.

The Health Department is reporting two new recoveries, bringing that total to 72 in Orleans County.

There are 18 people from Orleans currently hospitalized with Covid-19.

Genesee County has two new positives, bring the total confirmed cases to 185. The two new cases are Batavia residents, with one less than age 20 and the other in the 50s.

One of the positive cases was not on mandatory quarantine prior to becoming symptomatic, the Health Departments reported.

Two people from Genesee are currently hospitalized with Covid-19.

Click here to view an online map of confirmed cases in Genesee, Orleans and Wyoming counties.

The facility breakdown is only showing the total positive cases from those facilities from where there was a positive swab for Covid-19.

More information from the Genesee and Orleans County Health Departments:

Governor Cuomo announced that gatherings of 10 or less are now permitted with social distancing and sanitization protocols in place. The executive order is only good for 30 days or unless it is extended. https://www.governor.ny.gov/news/no-20233-continuing-temporary-suspension-and-modification- laws-relating-disaster-emergency

• For questions go to NY Forward website and the Regional Control Room (for guidance and to answer your questions: mailto:flnyf@esd.ny.gov).

• To file a complaint about a business, location or incident in your community you can call 1-833-789- 0470 or click here.

• Guidance for Cleaning and Disinfecting for Re-opening America: click here.

Although the State has issued a statement about campgrounds, they have not provided updated guidance for camping. The local health departments are in the process of communicating with local campgrounds with updated information.

A reminder that outdoor seating for restaurants is still prohibited according to the Governor’s Executive Order and Phase 1 and Phase 2 guidelines. Restaurants are to provide take-out or delivery only until Phase 3 or until the Governor states otherwise – https://forward.ny.gov/industries-reopening-phase.

As we get closer to the potential to advance to Phase 2 those businesses in that phase should be working on their plans to have them ready. Check daily for potential guidance. Click here for guidance and the business safety plan template.

Re-Opening Guidance: Links to assist businesses

Link to the NY Forward Reopening guide: https://www.governor.ny.gov/sites/governor.ny.gov/files/atoms/files/NYForwardReopeningGuide.pd f

Regional Control Room: flnyf@esd.ny.gov

Link to NY Forward website: https://forward.ny.gov/

Link to NY Forward “Can I re-open” Business Look-up Tool https://www.businessexpress.ny.gov/app/nyforward

Public/Private Beaches: https://forward.ny.gov/statewide-guidelines

COVID-19 Test Finder: https://coronavirus.health.ny.gov/find-test-site-near-you

Masks/Face Coverings – Both counties are still low in supplies of masks. They are being distributed to high-risk agencies/businesses as prioritized and if there is a supply left over they will be distributed in an appropriate manner. County plans for releasing supplies to the public will be forthcoming as supplies become available. Additional information will be released by the respective County Emergency Management offices as appropriate.

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There is one new case of Covid-19 in Orleans County, a person in the 70s from Carlton, the Genesee and Orleans County Health Departments reported this afternoon.

Orleans County has now had 209 confirmed cases of Covid-19. The Health Department is reporting 70 people from the community have recovered after contracting the virus. That doesn’t include cases in nursing homes and also group homes for disabled residents. The county has had 33 deaths from Covid-19.

There are 20 people from the county currently hospitalized with Covid-19.

In Genesee County, there are two new confirmed cases, bringing the Genesee total to 183.

The new cases include a resident of Batavia and a person who lives in Darien. One of the confirmed cases is a person in the 20s, and the other is in the 30s.

One of the positive cases was not on mandatory quarantine prior to becoming symptomatic.

The Health Department is reporting two more recoveries, bringing that total to 119. Two people in Genesee are currently hospitalized with Covid-19.

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Provided photos: Cindy Perry, whose retirement from Community Partners is effective Thursday, is shown here with at the last For Women Only held in 2019 with her future mother-in-law Dorothy Follman of Kenyonville and niece Joanna Follman. Dorothy is a breast cancer survivor and the longest survivor at the 2019 event. Perry said growing For Women Only into one of the most successful events for women locally was a highlight of her career.

MEDINA – Cindy Perry has had an exciting and rewarding career with Orleans Community Health’s Community Partners, a program she helped develop and grow for 25 years.

Now Perry, a resident of Waterport, has decided it’s time to retire. Thursday is officially her last day.

The decision to retire was easier to make with the knowledge Jessica Capurso will step into the role she has nurtured and cultivated all through the years.

Perry, who has a home on Lake Alice, grew up on the western end of the lake. She attended school in Albion and graduated from Lyndonville High School. She initially went to school in Rochester to become a dental assistant, but soon realized that was not for her.

She entered Brockport State College, and although she had excelled in chemistry, her duo major in school and community was a perfect fit. As part of her studies at Brockport, she did an internship at Medina Memorial Hospital, which later resulted in her being hired there. At the time, the hospital was just starting a pre-natal care program.

She met Fran Perry of Medina when he stopped to help her with a flat tire, and they were married in 1982.

“Both of us wanted to live in the country, and we bought this summer cottage, which was built in 1957, the year I was born,” Perry said. “It wasn’t even winterized.”

In 1993, Perry contracted with Medina Memorial Hospital, and after two years they hired her.

Her early career was spent in writing a lot of grants, which were plentiful back then. As Perry and the hospital worked to develop wellness programs, which included diabetes, healthy heart, smoking cessation and dental health for children, Community Partners grew.

Community Partners has always based its programs on community need, Perry said.

Cindy Perry, right, director of outreach, education and marketing at Community Partners, shares some leisure time at her home on Lake Alice with Jessica Capurso, who will step into Perry’s role at Orleans Community Health. Perry has announced her retirement, effective Thursday, after 25 years with the hospital.

“Orleans County has had high incidences of smokers, cardiovascular disease and lead poisoning,” she said. “There were never any resources for dental health.”

Through the years, Perry developed the Teddy Bear Clinic, one of her favorite programs, in which children are brought to the hospital to view it in a non-threatening way. Then came Breakfast with Santa and an arthritis exercise program. She also promoted their speakers’ group, in which qualified individuals from the hospital would agree to speak to organizations or events, in an effort to market the hospital’s services and educate the community.

“We have developed a lot of partnerships with community organizations, such as GCASA, Community Action and the Health Department,” Capurso said.

Perry’s husband died in 2011, only a week after being diagnosed with small cell lung cancer.

Several years ago, she received a visit from Mark Follman, who grew up across the lake and with whom she had gone to school since third grade.

“We rode motorcycles to school and water skied together,” Perry said. “He says he had a crush on me way back then.”

They have become engaged and will live in her house on the lake. Follman’s parents still live in Kenyonville.

Perry has always been active in her community, having been involved in Healthy Orleans Network, Albion Rotary, United Way, Community Action’s Policy Council and Health and Wellness Committee, Opioid Task Force, Suicide Prevention Committee, Office for the Aging’s Advisory Council, Human Services Council, Diabetes Coalition, Orleans United Drug Free Communities Coalition and Lead Prevention Coalition.

Although she is looking forward to this new phase in her life, Perry admits life will be different not having to go to work.

“I’ve worked since I was 12 years old, and I’ve never been on unemployment,” she said. “But I’m ready to kick back and spend some time with family members. I’ve loved working at the hospital and working for the community. But when Jess started working for me, I knew she was the one to take over. She has a personality that fits the position. I spent a lot of time developing that department and I want someone who will carry on that legacy. I feel very calm and confident she will do a good job.”

Capurso came to Albion when her family moved from Hamlin when she was 4. She graduated from Albion High School in 1999 and attended Genesee Community College for two years, and then received a bachelor’s degree in marketing from Brockport State College. Her first job was at CRFS as a claims processor, where in two years she had advanced to the role of assistant vice president.

She left that position when she was offered the job as executive director of United Way of Orleans County. Capurso has worked with Perry in community outreach since 2015.

“I’m extremely excited about my new position,” Capurso said. “I’ve also had jobs at McDonald’s and Rite Aid, but I think now I’ve really found my niche. A job where I can make a difference in my community means more to me. This job offers more interaction. When I teach a pre-diabetes class, I’m changing lifestyles, and I still get to use my marketing degree.”

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Orleans also has 11 more recoveries from virus

Two more people have died from Covid-19 in Orleans County, the local health department is reporting this afternoon. Both people were residents of the Orchard Rehabilitation and Nursing Center in Medina, which has now had six of its residents pass away from Covid-19.

The two deaths bring the county’s total to 33 due to Covid-19, the Genesee and Orleans County Health Departments is reporting this afternoon.

Orleans County has five more new confirmed cases of Covid-19, bringing the county’s total to 208.

Of the five new cases, one resides in Ridgeway, one in Yates, one in Shelby and one in Albion. The other new case is a resident of Orchard Rehabilitation & Nursing Center, which has now had 31 residents test positive.

Of the new positive cases in the county, one individual is in the 20s, one in the 30s, another in the 40s, one in the 60s and the one in the 80s.

None of the new positive cases were on mandatory quarantine prior to testing positive, the Health Department said.

Of the previous cases in the community, 11 more people have recovered, bringing the total recoveries to 70.

There are 20 people currently hospitalized from Orleans County due to Covid-19.

Genesee County has one new positive case of Covid-19, for 181 cases. The new  confirmed case is a person who lives in Batavia who is in the 50s. The person was not on mandatory quarantine prior to becoming symptomatic.

Genesee has had four more recoveries, bringing the total to 116 who have recovered and have been released from mandatory isolation.

In Genesee, two of the active positive cases are hospitalized.

Click here to view the online map of confirmed cases in Genesee, Orleans and Wyoming counties. That map shows there are 13 active cases in Orleans in the community (not counting residents of facilities), 10 in Genesee and three in Wyoming.

More information from the Genesee and Orleans County Health Departments:

The facility breakdown is only showing the total positive cases from those facilities from where there was a positive swab for Covid-19. Facilities will be added if there is a positive case of Covid-19.

Because the local health departments don’t follow the positive cases for facilities, we cannot report any recoveries from the facilities with positive cases of Covid-19. If a regulated facility from either of the counties is not listed, there are no positive cases of Covid-19. The local health departments do not have oversight with many regulated facilities, which may include nursing homes, correctional facilities, hospitals, etc.

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There are two more deaths due to Covid-19 at The Villages of Orleans Health and Rehabilitation Center in Albion, bringing the total deaths at the nursing home in Albion to 26, the Genesee and Orleans County Health Departments is reporting this afternoon.

Orleans County has now suffered 31 deaths from Covid-19 with four at the Orchard Rehabilitation & Nursing Center in Medina and one from another community member.

The Health Department also is reporting two more confirmed cases of Covid-19 in the county, bringing the total confirmed cases to 202 in the county. The two new cases were contracted by community members.

Genesee County also has one new case, bringing the Genesee total to 180 cases.

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Health Department reports another resident of The Villages dies from Covid-19

Orleans County has six more confirmed cases of Covid-19, which brings the county’s total to 200, the Genesee and Orleans County Health Departments reported this afternoon.

The six new cases in Orleans include one community member and five residents of the Orchard Rehabilitation and Nursing Center in Medina. Orchard now has 30 confirmed cases.

The Health Department also is reporting the death of a resident at The Villages of Orleans Health and Rehabilitation Center in Albion. That nursing home has now suffered 24 deaths due to Covid-19. The local health department said that the New York State Department of Health did swab all residents and employees of The Villages to test if they are positive for Covid-19.

Orleans County now has 29 total deaths from Covid-19.

Of the county’s 200 Covid-19 cases, 117 of them are residents of either The Villages (87 cases) or Orchard Rehabilitation and Nursing Center.

Genesee County also has one more confirmed case of Covid-19, bringing the Genesee total to 179. The new case is a community member and not a resident of a facility.

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