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Erie County DOH: 11 cases of COVID-19

Press Release

Tue, Mar 17th 2020 03:15 pm

The Erie County Department of Health (ECDOH) will continue to offer regular updates to the media and community on COVID-19. For March 17:

•Lab testing: Following the re-run of samples from Monday, the Erie County Public Health Lab identified four new positive COVID-19 cases. They include:

  • A female in her 50s, unknown travel history
  • A female in her 50s, no recent travel history
  • A male in his 40s, recent travel history out of state
  • A male in his 30s, recent travel history out of state

•Contact tracing for positive COVID-19 cases: Our disease investigation on the additional cases from Monday is underway. We will be identifying close contacts and placing them under quarantine, and will make additional notifications about any potential for public exposure as those details are available.

The individuals with a positive test result reside in Williamsville, Amherst and Buffalo. Of our current positive cases, one individual has been hospitalized.

We are further advising any individuals who were present at the following locations on the specified dates to monitor themselves daily for symptoms of COVID-19.

  • March 10, 10-11:30 a.m.: Barnes and Noble on Niagara Falls Boulevard in Amherst
  • March 10, 7-8 p.m.: Harlem Road Community Center in Amherst
  • March 11, 10:30-11:30 a.m.: Williamsville Branch Library in Williamsville
  • March 11, 7-8 p.m.: Lexington Co-op on Elmwood Avenue in Buffalo
  • March 11, 7-8 p.m.: 7/11 at 182 Elmwood Ave., Buffalo
  • March 13: Southwest Airlines Flight 2442 from Fort Lauderdale, Florida, to Buffalo Niagara International Airport

The following data is for Erie County residents:

  • Positive test results: 11
  • Negative test results: 75
  • Pending test results: 225
  • Currently under mandatory quarantine: 53, with more expected today as our contact tracing continues.

•Individuals without a primary care physician: Erie County residents who feel they may have COVID-19 symptoms (fever of 100.4 or higher; cough; and/or fever) can call our information line at 716-858-2929. They will be transferred to a specific call group that will be able to screen them for symptoms and take their information. We are continuing to advise people to contact their own health care provider for medical advice.

•Information for employers: Private businesses and organizations are expected to be at 50% capacity or less per the governor’s order. Telecommuting, flexible shifts and alternate work sites should be considered.

•Social distancing: ECDOH strongly recommends Erie County residents practice social distancing. Stay at home except for essential travel for basic needs. Wash hands frequently. Avoid touching your face. If you feel ill, stay home.

•Information line: We are encouraging individuals and physicians to use our COVID-19 information line: 716-858-2929.

•Erie County Department of Health activities: Based on New York state regulations and current Erie County recommendations, most ECDOH outreach activities are cancelled or postponed. Please check with your ECDOH staff contact if you have specific questions about an event or service.

•Erie County residents should continue to review our COVID-19 website at www.erie.gov/covid19 for answers to general questions.

For more information:

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