OSWEGO, NY – Oswego County Public Health Director Jiancheng Huang announced two new positive cases of COVID-19 in Oswego County today, April 5, bringing the number of positive cases to 32.
Fourteen of the previous positive cases have since recovered and are no longer in mandatory quarantine.
Oswego County Legislature Chairman James Weatherup said, “This disease is everywhere. It doesn’t matter how many people in your community have tested positive or how many people in the next town over have tested positive. It doesn’t matter how old you are. If you don’t social distance, it will spread.”
COVID-19 cases have been identified in the cities of Fulton and Oswego and the towns of
Boylston, Constantia, Granby, Hastings, Mexico, New Haven, Oswego, Palermo, Richland,
Schroeppel, Scriba, Volney and West Monroe.
Several of the infected patients are in their 20s and 30s. Others include a young child, people in their 40s, 50s, and 60s, and senior citizens.
The Oswego County Health Department is investigating all cases and where appropriate, other family members and contacts have also been placed in mandatory quarantine or mandatory isolation.
All known contacts of COVID-19 positive patients are being notified.
“To prevent yourself from being infected, practice handwashing and social distancing
diligently,” said Huang. “The virus is in our backyard. We should follow the guidance to keep social distancing by six feet and handwashing with soap and rubbing for 20 seconds. We expect the number of positive cases to continue to increase, based on the history of the disease in other nations and other states. In the event that a known case had public exposure when they were contagious, such as someone who worked in a restaurant, the county health department would alert citizens through the news media and social media.”
Health care providers, first responders, and the county and state health departments are working closely together to mitigate the disease’s impact on the community.
“It is important to understand that COVID-19 is everywhere, not just in communities where tests have so far indicated,” said Huang. “If we hope to be successful in controlling the spread of this disease, we must all take every precaution to avoid public places and groups of people as much as possible.
It is imperative that people:
– Stay home.
– Avoid non-essential gatherings of all types and sizes.
– Keep six feet from other people.
– Wash hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds, especially before eating.
– Avoid close contact with people who are sick.
– Avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth.
– Stay home if you are sick.
– Cover your cough or sneeze with a tissue and then throw the tissue in the trash.
– Clean and disinfect frequently touched objects and surfaces.
– Call your healthcare provider from home if you are experiencing symptoms such as a
fever, cough or shortness of breath.
– Do not go to urgent care or an emergency department unless you are experiencing life-
threatening conditions.
Residents are asked to continue monitoring reliable sources of information. Go to
health.oswegocounty.com/covid-19 for the latest news releases, daily updates, and video
presentations or visit oswegocounty.com or health.ny.gov or cdc.gov.
Oswego County presents videos highlighting various COVID-19 topics on Mondays,
Wednesdays and Fridays. They are scheduled to be posted by 4:30 p.m. on Oswego County’s COVID-19 YouTube playlist, Facebook and the county government website at
oswegocounty.com.
Additional questions can be directed to the Oswego County Health Department COVID-19
hotline at 315-349-3330 or the NYS COVID-19 hotline at 1-888-364-3065. For more
information about emotional supports, visit the Oswego County Department of Social Services
Division of Mental Hygiene at www.oswegocounty.com/mentalhygiene.