1st Orange County Coronavirus Case Announced

GOSHEN, NY — Orange County announced its first confirmed positive case of the new coronavirus Thursday. Health officials said the person is hospitalized and isolated.

County Health Commissioner Dr. Irina Gelman said health-care providers are creating a list of all people with whom the person came in contact.

"The county Health Department then contacts people on that list to notify them of the potential exposure," she said.

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"Such person are assessed using clinical criteria to determine their symptoms and the potential need for testing," Gelman said.

She said the county has been preparing for this prospect for several week and has been in regular contact with its health-care providers.

Gelman encouraged anyone with fever, cough, shortness of breath or other signs of illness to call their doctor before appearing at his or her office.

"This minimizes chance of more unnecessary exposure," she said.

This new case puts the number of confirmed cases of COVID-91 in the state at 218. In the Hudson Valley, there are also 121 in Westchester, six in Rockland and two in Ulster.

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