More Coronavirus At Peconic Landing; State Of Emergency In Town

GREENPORT, NY — Two additional employees of Peconic Landing, a retirement community in Greenport, have tested positive for coronavirus — and Southold Town, which has nine coronavirus cases, declared a state of emergency.

The state of emergency was declared for Southold effective 4 p.m. Thursday, according to Southold Town Supervisor Scott Russell.

All Southold Town office buildings were closed to the public. All public meetings, hearings and town-sponsored programs were canceled until further notice. Residents can still access the various departments by phone or email.

On Tuesday, Russell hosted a meeting with Southold's expanded emergency management team consisting of more than 35 government officials, including representatives from Suffolk County, local school officials, fire department chiefs, town senior services and health care administrators.

A per diem employee at Peconic Landing was confirmed to have coronavirus Tuesday. Peconic Landing officials said the employee worked in a "relatively isolated area, with minimal contact to our population." Efforts are underway to continue sanitizing the facility but no residents are believed to be impacted, Peconic Landing CEO and President Bob Syron told Patch Wednesday. All residents, he added, are being monitored closely.

Peconic Landing was notified Thursday morning by the Suffolk County Department of Health that a second and third employee tested positive for COVID-19.

"We are in constant contact with the Suffolk County Department of Health and following their direction," Peconic Landing said in a statement. "The Suffolk County Department of Health is currently undergoing an investigation to identify individuals who may have had direct contact with these employees."

The Suffolk County Department of Health will contact the individuals directly.

"Due to HIPAA regulations we are unable to provide specific information about the employees," Peconic Landing said.

The retirement community suspended outside visitation until further notice.

"We are not under quarantine," the statement continued. "We are, however, identifying additional opportunities to protect our members' and employees’ safety and well-being. Recommendations from the Governor’s Office, the Suffolk County Health Commissioner, the NY State Department of Health and the CDC support this approach."

The focus is on ensuring the safety and well-being of members and employees, the statement said.

Peconic Landing is communicating all updates to members and employees via internal communication channels and will be providing ongoing updates through its website and social media channels.

Eight cases of coronavirus were confirmed Thursday in Southold Town as the number of cases in Suffolk County surged to 20.

County Executive Steve Bellone declared a countywide state of emergency with the number rising dramatically from Wednesday, with one case each confirmed in Huntington and Islip, two in Smithtown and Brookhaven, and eight in Southold. All were believed to have been contracted through community transmission, Bellone said.

News continued to break across the North Fork of businesses closing due to new, confirmed cases.

The Suffolk Times posted a message on social media Thursday: "We have learned that a part-time member of our staff has tested positive for COVID-19 coronavirus after seeking medical attention at Stony Brook Eastern Long Island Hospital," the post read.

"This employee has not worked since March 3 and we will work closely with the Suffolk County Department of Health, State Health Department and CDC following their recommended protocols," the post continued. "The employee does not interact with the public in their role on our staff, but we have proactively put procedures in place. Our office will be temporarily closed and our employees will work from home until further notice. The good news is our colleague is feeling significantly better and is well on their way to making a full recovery."

Also on Thursday, Sharon Sailor, owner of Front Street Station in Greenport, posted on social media to say that an employee is related to person who tested positive at the Southold Fish Market.

The employee had just started vacation Sunday so he had not been in to work since Saturday, March 7, Sailor said.

"We feel as community members and friends that complete transparency with all of you is the only way to approach this," she said.

Sailor said she spoke to the Suffolk County Board of Health and, since her employee has no symptoms, he cannot be tested and must self-quarantine for 14 days. Front Street Station will be closed Thursday for cleaning and the employee, who will be placed on extended vacation, will be allowed back to work March 22.

An employee at Southold Fish Market was diagnosed with coronavirus, company officials announced Wednesday night. Meanwhile, Greenport schools closed Thursday for two days after three students were quarantined.

"We have been notified by an employee that he has been diagnosed with the COVID-19 virus," a post on the Southold Fish Market Facebook page read Wednesday. "As a precaution we have sanitized the entire establishment and will close tomorrow so the Board of Health can be notified and a protocol can be established. Thank you for your understanding."

The Greenport Union Free School District sent this message: "Although the district has not received a positive result of COVID 19 in a student or staff member, we have made the decision to close tomorrow, March 12 and Friday, March 13. This is out of an abundance of caution and will allow the district to complete a deep, thorough cleaning of the building ... We will remain in constant contact with the Suffolk County Department of Health."

As the number of coronavirus cases continued to rise across Long Island, three Greenport students were placed in mandatory quarantine, Gamberg said Wednesday.

"They are asymptomatic, and we have been repeatedly advised that they do not pose a risk, per the Suffolk County Health Department," Gamberg said.

On Wednesday, Bellone said that there was a connection between one of Suffolk County's confirmed cases, a woman in her 20s who is remains isolated at her home in Southold, and the first confirmed Suffolk case, a man in his 40s who works at the Greenport Harbor Brewing Co. in Peconic. He was initially treated at Eastern Long Island Hospital in Greenport and was transferred to Stony Brook Southampton Hospital, where he remains isolated in "fair" condition and "improving," hospital officials said Tuesday.

Jill Gierasch, superintendent of the Mattituck-Cutchogue School District, told Patch Wednesday that some families are choosing to keep their children home on a voluntary basis but also said that decision had "nothing to do with district direction." The district, she added, has received no quarantine direction from the Suffolk County Health Department.

The Shoreham-Wading River School District closed Monday, sending buses of students back home, after it was learned that the spouse of a staff member may have had contact with coronavirus. The district reopened Tuesday.

Southold schools will be closed Friday and Monday.