Orange County Health Commissioner Dr. Irina Gelman comments on first positive test of COVID-19 in Orange County

March 12, 2020 - Goshen, NY - On Thursday morning, the Orange County Health Department was notified of the first positive test result of an Orange County resident for Coronavirus (COVID-19). The person is presently hospitalized and isolated. 

“When a positive test occurs, the healthcare provider creates a line list,” Gelman said. “What that means is a list is created of all persons the patient was in contact with. The County Health Department then contacts people on that list to notify them of the potential exposure. Such persons are assessed using clinical criteria to determine their symptoms and the potential need for testing.”

Gelman added: “We have been preparing for this prospect for several weeks and are in regular contact with our healthcare providers. I encourage people with fever, cough, shortness of breath or other signs of illness to contact their healthcare provider before appearing at their doctor’s office. This minimizes the chance of more unnecessary exposure.”

Citizens can call the New York State Department of Health Coronavirus Hotline at 1-888-364-3065 for more information.

Citizens can call the Orange County Health Department at 845-291-2330.

If someone is sick they should follow the guidelines from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention HERE>