No new coronavirus cases confirmed in Orleans, Genesee
34 negative tests in Orleans and 36 in Genesee
ALBION – There are no new confirmed cases of coronavirus in Orleans or Genesee counties, the public health departments said today.
Since the onset of testing, Genesee County has received 36 negative test results and Orleans has had 34 negative test results for COVID-19
The Health Department reported the following this afternoon.
• Local contact tracing continues within our departments. The cases and stories are being built and documented. Regarding the special circumstances of the Orleans positive. (That person was diagnosed while on vacation out-of-state but is believed to have contracted the virus in Orleans.)
Identified contacts have been notified and quarantined and swabbed as indicated. This patient became symptomatic out of state and is now in mandatory isolation at their residence in Orleans County. The patient was released from isolation from the state they were in, in line with that state’s clearance criteria. NYS clearance criteria is currently more restrictive and requires negative COVID-19 results prior to being released. Swabbing through the Health Departments is warranted as part of our quarantine /isolation protocol for those who become symptomatic. We are not providing community testing at this time.
• Orleans County: 4 people are under precautionary quarantine, 10 people are under mandatory quarantine, and 1 person is under mandatory isolation (this is not a new positive case). As shared last week, the department continues to explore contacts related to the case and places any further contacts on mandatory quarantine as needed
• Genesee County: 7 people are under precautionary quarantine, 20 people are under mandatory quarantine, and 1 person (positive case) is under mandatory isolation.
• Reminder as discussed last week. We are placing people on quarantine and isolation from the health department but individuals will also be asked by their provider to self-isolate if they have been swabbed until the results come back. This is very important. Number one the person is symptomatic, that’s why they’re being swabbed and secondly, we don’t want the person exposing others to illness (COVID-19 or otherwise). Please remain home if ill.
• Young people may think this won’t affect them…they can get COVID-19, they can spread it to vulnerable populations and although not as likely, they can be hospitalized and possibly die from this disease, just as they can get the flu and have complications.
Young people may also have underlying health issues they may not be aware of or if they smoke / vape, etc. they are putting themselves at higher risk of severe illness. This is why all people participate in social distancing even if they are not immune-compromised some people are going to react to this illness differently…it is not just the older folks, they do have the greater risk of dying or going to the hospital but people of any age can have severe illness. It is still important for all to help flatten the curve.
Swabbing/Partner Information
• Remember that if you are sick to call your primary care provider. If you must go to the Emergency Room or Urgent Care – call ahead so they can prepare for your arrival.
• COVID-19 swabbing/testing at the Health Departments and community is limited. If you feel you may have COVID-19, call your primary care provider or healthcare facility ahead of time. Do n Do not go directly there, call ahead to get guidance. We will be screening and focusing on our at-risk populations – elderly and immune compromised and those with underlying health issues. Primary care providers and some health systems are offering testing in both Monroe and Erie counties. We’re still waiting on more public/private labs to sign-on soon along with swabbing kits.
• Lab testing has been bogged down and sample results are coming back slower. Again this is a source of frustration for the public and us. We continue to push these unacceptable issues back up to the state.
• Due to the current limited swabbing kits, guidelines are in place for primary care providers to order COVID-19 swabbing. We will notify how and who can be tested at testing sites once we have the capability to set them up.
• Flu for the week ending March 14: Orleans had 8 flu cases that week and 257 for the season; Genesee – 22 cases of flu that week and 588 for the season. Compared to COVID-19 the risk of the flu and what many people may be experiencing is higher.
We are receiving back negative COVID-19 test results from the lab, but we are still having flu – more flu and other respiratory illness as we look at the data. Keep this in mind. Everyone should be social distancing and staying home.
