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The Orange County Health Department confirmed the news on Thursday, March 12.
The person is currently hospitalized and quarantined.
“Individuals who are experiencing symptoms and may have traveled to areas of concern, or have been in contact with somebody who has traveled to these areas, should call ahead to their health care provider before seeking treatment in person,” health officials said.
“There are thousands of confirmed cases in China, including cases outside of Wuhan and additional cases being identified in a growing number of countries internationally, including the United States. There are ongoing investigations to learn more about this virus. Orange County has one diagnosed case to date.”
In the Hudson Valley, Westchester has been at the epicenter of the outbreak, with more than 125 confirmed cases. There have also been confirmed coronavirus cases in Rockland, Saratoga, and Ulster counties.
Orange County Health Commissioner Irina Gelman is recommending and encouraging the cancelation or postponement of any large social gatherings or events in Orange County.
"With larger outbreaks in surrounding counties and confirmed community transmission in Ulster and Rockland counties, multiple cases in Nassau and New York City, as well as the larger-scale outbreak in Westchester County, limiting large social events at this time is imperative to maintaining public health," Gelman said.
“When a positive test occurs, the healthcare provider creates a line list,” she added. “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.”
“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.”
According to the Department of Health, if you recently traveled to an affected area and feel sick with fever, cough or trouble breathing, you should:
- Seek medical care right away. Call ahead and tell them about your travel and symptoms.
- Avoid contact with others. Stay home, except for seeking medical care.
- Avoid further travel until the illness resolves.
- Cover your mouth and nose with a tissue or your sleeve (not your hands) when coughing or sneezing.
- Wash hands often with soap and warm water for at least 20 seconds. If unavailable, use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer.
“The Orange County Health Department will continuously monitor the new cases in the region with the hope of being able to reduce this recommendation if we see cases dropping,” Gelman said. “The nature of the virus has demonstrated internationally that as community spread is limited, cases reduce. Accordingly, by taking strong actions now, it is our hope to be able to weather this challenge faster than elsewhere.”
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