Cattaraugus County Health Department was notified of its one hundredth and forty sixth confirmed case of COVID-19. The reporting laboratory was, Erie County Medical Center Clinical Laboratories, Buffalo, NY. The department’s active positive COVID-19 caseload is now nine as there are one hundred and thirty three residents who have recovered from COVID-19.

The latest case is a female resident who resides in the southwest corner of the county who denies any significant travel history. She reports being in direct contact with a positive COVID-19 person, and shortly afterward developed fever, cough, congestion, and headaches. She was tested for COVID-19 on August 20th and her test results on August 22nd indicated that she was positive for the virus. 

The department has begun a thorough contact tracing investigation for those individuals that she has been in contact with and the places that she has visited. 

We would like to reiterate that if any resident experience  fever, cough, shortness of breath or whole body aches they should contact their health care provider (avoid going directly to an Urgent Care facility, or the Emergency Room before calling).

In addition, 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.

Disinfect commonly touched surfaces with a cleaner that is approved by the EPA against COVID-19.

Finally, in an effort to determine the prevalence of COVID-19 in our 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.