Ulster County Executive Patrick Ryan released the following statement on Monday, after it was revelaled that an Ulster County resident had tested positive for Coronavirus.
“This morning, we were notified by the New York State Health Department that an Ulster County resident has received a ‘presumptive positive’ result for novel coronavirus (COVID-19). This individual recently traveled internationally to France and notified our Health Department that he had symptoms consistent with COVID-19. Upon guidance from our Health Department he drove himself to a hospital where test samples were taken and he was immediately placed into quarantine.”
We have been preparing for this contingency for the last several weeks and I am confident in our ability to respond quickly and comprehensively to ensure public health and safety. As a first step, we are activating the Ulster County Emergency Operation Center as well as deploying Health Department staff to focus solely on community mitigation efforts. Public Health officials have already begun interviewing this individual to assess who he may have come into contact with and will notify those individuals. We will continue to update the public to ensure full transparency as the situation develops.
“I would like to reiterate that any resident experiencing a fever, with cough or shortness of breath should contact the Ulster County Health Department at (845) 340-3150 or, if symptoms are severe, call 911. For general questions about coronavirus please call the New York State Department of Health at 1-888-364-3065.”
Residents should continue to take the following steps to help minimize and contain potential exposures. These include preventative measures, such as:
Washing hands with soap and water frequently, for at least 20 seconds, especially before eating
Avoiding touching surfaces in public spaces, whenever possible
Avoiding touching eyes and mouth
Always covering a cough or sneeze with a tissue or a sleeve, rather than your hands and dispose of the tissue in the trash
Staying home if sick, except to seek medical attention, to avoid infecting others
Getting the flu shot if you have not done so already – it’s not too late.
Helping to keep your immune system strong by getting enough sleep and reducing stress
Coronavirus symptoms can include fever, cough, fatigue, trouble breathing and pneumonia. These symptoms can also be seen in season flu and other coronavirus infections. CDC believes that at this time symptoms of coronavirus infection may appear in as few as two days or as many as 14 days after exposure. If you suspect that you or anyone in your family may have been exposed to coronavirus through travel to affected areas or are experiencing symptoms, please contact your medical provider immediately. New York State’s state-of-the-art Wadsworth Laboratory, in Albany, is now authorized to conduct testing for coronavirus and can provide your doctor with a definite determination if coronavirus infection is present.
For more information, please visit the New York State Department of Health Coronavirus site at https://www.health.ny.gov/diseases/communicable/coronavirus/ or the CDC’s Coronavirus site at https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/index.html. The New York State Department of Health has also set up a special COVID-19 Hotline at 1-888-364-3065.