MONROE COUNTY, N.Y. — Monroe County has confirmed its second case of COVID-19, also known as the novel coronavirus. Monroe County Executive Adam Bello made the announcement Saturday morning during a news conference. Bello also announced that he is declaring a local state of emergency.
Monroe County health officials say the second confirmed case of coronavirus is a 60-year-old woman. Health officials say they learned about this Friday night.
The woman is currently hospitalized and is in stable condition.
They also added they do not believe she came in contact with the other Monroe County patient who tested positive for coronavirus earlier this week, nor did the second patient have any contact with people who are currently quarantined at SUNY Brockport.
Monroe County Public Health Commissioner Dr. Michael Mendoza said the second patient's diagnosis is not believe to be travel-related. He says this is the first case of local transmission in Monroe County.
Officials say she worked at Arcadia Middle School in Greece, NY on March 4.
Health officials in Monroe County are doing "contact tracing," which involves tracking the 60-year-old woman's movements and contact with people to determine where she may have contracted the illness. By contact tracing, health officials will be able to determine if she may have spread the coronavirus to others.
In addition, officials in Monroe County are closing schools to practice social distancing. Greece Central Schools will be closed until further notice. Officials from the health department say closing schools will allow them to clean more properly and would further prevent the spread of coronavirus.
The Monroe County Department of Public Health is also looking for four individuals who rode on a Greyhound Bus earlier in the week with someone who tested positive for COVID-19. Erie County Executive Mark Poloncarz says the bus originated in New York City, arrived in Rochester on Tuesday and then continued on to Batavia, Buffalo and to Toronto.
The health department says they were able to get in contact with seven people who got off the bus with the patient in Rochester. They say at this point, those passengers are asymptomatic and in quarantine. However, four riders are still unaccounted for.
If you or someone you know was on Greyhound bus #252, the health department is asking you contact them as soon as possible.