Gov. Andrew Cuomo
A food processing factory in Chautauqua County has contributed to a recent increase in COVID cases, Gov. Andrew Cuomo said during a press conference Monday.
“In Western New York we have a caution flag,” Cuomo said, noting the recent spike in cases in the Western New York region. “We’re focusing on it and trying to understand exactly what is happening. The number of positive cases has somewhat escalated. Not a cause for serious concern, but it is a caution flag and we’re looking at it.”
The governor said the percentage of positive tests in the Western New York region has been above 1% for six days. In addition, he said the five-day average of new daily cases in the region is 63, up from 34 a week ago.
The OBSERVER first reported over the weekend that several cases were among employees at a north county business.
Cuomo noted, in addition to the food processing factory in Chautauqua County, a steel plant in Erie County was the focus of another “cluster” of COVID cases as well as two unidentified nursing homes.
Christine Schuyler, county public health director, noted in an email Sunday the county Department of Health and Human Services Public Health Division works collaboratively with employers when a case or cases of COVID-19 are identified.
“We are working collaboratively with an employer in the north county where an employee(s) tested positive for COVID-19,” Schuyler said in the email. “This employer has been very cooperative and is following all of the required and recommended state protocols for this industry.”
“In partnership with the (state Health Department), we are continuing our public health work on this situation.”
She said with every positive case of COVID-19, disease investigation is conducted and isolation and quarantine orders are issued. Only when close contacts cannot adequately be identified or located, will public health agencies issue a public notification with more specific information to assist in locating contacts and mitigating disease spread.
Schuyler’s comments come after the OBSERVER first reported online on Saturday a major north county business as the site of the recent spike in area COVID-19 cases. The OBSERVER also was informed on Saturday that of the 19 active cases announced by the Chautauqua County Health Department on Friday, eight are believed to be tied to one Dunkirk location.
The OBSERVER and the county are not naming the business at this time, but employees and members of their families are aware of the problem and have told this newspaper about their concerns. The business, it should be noted, is not frequented by consumers or open to the public.
