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Westchester County Department of Health

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Court Discontinues Lawsuit Claiming Finger Was Found In Salad At Northern Westchester Eatery Court Discontinues Lawsuit Claiming Finger Was Found In Salad At Northern Westchester Eatery
Court Discontinues Lawsuit Claiming Finger Was Found In Salad At Northern Westchester Eatery A court has discontinued a lawsuit filed against a restaurant chain by a Connecticut woman who claimed she found herself chewing on part of a severed human finger while eating a salad served at one of the company's locations in New York.  The lawsuit, filed against Rye Brook-based Chop't Creative Salad Company LLC by Fairfield County resident Allison Cozzi of Greenwich, was discontinued by the Westchester County Supreme Court on Thursday, July 11.  Cozzi, who brought the suit against Chop't in November, claimed she found part of a severed finger inside her meal…

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by Ben Crnic
News
Rabid Fox Killed After Biting 2 People In Northern Westchester Rabid Fox Killed After Biting 2 People In Northern Westchester
Rabid Fox Killed After Biting 2 People In Northern Westchester Officials are alerting residents to be wary of wild animals after a fox that bit two people in Northern Westchester tested positive for rabies.  New, updated report - Update: 2 More People Bit By Rabid Fox In Peekskill Come Forward The warning came after an incident on Saturday, Jan. 13, when a fox bit two people in Peekskill, according to the Westchester County Department of Health. The exact location of where this happened was not revealed by officials.  The fox has since been killed after testing positive for rabies, health officials said, adding that the two victims, who…

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by Ben Crnic
News
Woman Sues After Finding Severed Finger In Salad At Northern Westchester Eatery, Lawsuit Says Woman Sues After Finding Severed Finger In Salad At Northern Westchester Eatery, Lawsuit Says
Woman Sues After Finding Severed Finger In Salad At Northern Westchester Eatery, Lawsuit Says A Connecticut woman has filed a lawsuit against a restaurant company in New York after allegedly finding herself chewing on part of a severed human finger while eating a salad served at one of the company's locations within the county.  Fairfield County resident Allison Cozzi, of Greenwich, filed the suit against Rye Brook-based Chop't Creative Salad Company LLC on Monday, Nov. 27 after allegedly finding part of a severed finger inside her meal bought at a Chop't location in Northern Westchester County at 53 South Moger Ave. in Mount Kisco.  According to the lawsuit complaint file…

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by Ben Crnic
News
New Update: Bear Killed After Attacking Child In Northern Westchester Tests Negative For Rabies New Update: Bear Killed After Attacking Child In Northern Westchester Tests Negative For Rabies
New Update: Bear Killed After Attacking Child In Northern Westchester Tests Negative For Rabies A bear that was shot and killed after attacking a 7-year-old child in Northern Westchester has tested negative for rabies, officials said.  The Westchester County Department of Health confirmed the results on Wednesday afternoon, Aug. 23, a day after the bear's remains were brought in for testing by the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation.  Earlier Report - Latest Update: 7-Year-Old ID'd As Victim Of Bear Attack Outside North Castle Home The male bear was killed by North Castle Police following the attack, which happened on Tuesday, Aug. 22 ju…

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by Ben Crnic
News
Rabid Raccoon Found In Westchester: Officials Issue Warning About Fatal Disease Rabid Raccoon Found In Westchester: Officials Issue Warning About Fatal Disease
Rabid Raccoon Found In Westchester: Officials Issue Warning About Fatal Disease An aggressive raccoon found in Westchester has tested positive for rabies, leading officials to warn residents who may have come in contact with the animal to get the treatment they need.  The raccoon was found on Tuesday, May 16 in Greenburgh at the intersection of Reunion Road and Tradition Court after it had been acting aggressively, according to Westchester County Department of Health Commissioner Sherlita Amler.  The animal has since tested positive for rabies.  Any residents or their pets who may have come into contact with the raccoon are asked to immediatel…

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by Ben Crnic
News
Rabid Bears: Sick Cub Found In Northern Westchester, May Be More, Officials Say Rabid Bears: Sick Cub Found In Northern Westchester, May Be More, Officials Say
Rabid Bears: Sick Cub Found In Northern Westchester, May Be More, Officials Say County officials are monitoring for sick animals after a rabid bear cub was discovered in Northern Westchester.  The young bear was discovered in Lewisboro and tested positive for rabies, Westchester County officials announced on Friday, April 14.  Because of concerns that there may be more rabid bears in the area, officials are now monitoring the situation in addition to warning residents to avoid any wild animals that look ill.  Additionally, the county's government is advising any residents who have come into contact with bear cubs in the last two weeks to call their doct…

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by Ben Crnic
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Dog Mauling Incident: Court To Decide If 'Dangerous' Pet Is Seized In Westchester Dog Mauling Incident: Court To Decide If 'Dangerous' Pet Is Seized In Westchester
Dog Mauling Incident: Court To Decide If 'Dangerous' Pet Is Seized In Westchester As public officials in Westchester await a court decision regarding an alleged dog mauling incident, they are also urging pet owners to keep their dogs leashed and trained.  The alleged incident involving a "dangerous dog" happened within the city of Mount Vernon on Tuesday, March 14, Mount Vernon Mayor Shawyn Patterson-Howard announced on Wednesday, March 29.  According to Patterson-Howard, both the complainant and dog owner involved in the incident are awaiting court proceedings and a judge's decision on whether or not there is probable cause for seizing the animal or …

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by Ben Crnic
Police & Fire
Smoke Shops In Westchester Nabbed For Selling Pot, Banned Products To Minors: Police Smoke Shops In Westchester Nabbed For Selling Pot, Banned Products To Minors: Police
Smoke Shops In Westchester Nabbed For Selling Pot, Banned Products To Minors: Police After a month-long investigation, multiple vape and smoke shops in Westchester County have been caught illegally selling products to underage people, as well as selling banned products, police said.  The investigation, which started in October 2022, was conducted on multiple smoke shops in the town of Greenburgh that concerned the sale of "vape, tobacco and THC products" to people under 21, as well as the sale and possession of untaxed cigarettes, marijuana, and banned synthetic cannabinoids products, according to Greenburgh Police.  As a result of the investigation into the store…

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by Ben Crnic
News
COVID-19: Westchester County Health Dept. To Distribute 5,600 Air Purifiers To Area Schools COVID-19: Westchester County Health Dept. To Distribute 5,600 Air Purifiers To Area Schools
Covid-19: Westchester County Health Dept. To Distribute 5,600 Air Purifiers To Area Schools Health officials in Westchester County are set to distribute thousands of air purifiers to area school districts this month in an effort to protect students, teachers, and staff from COVID-19. The Westchester County Department of Health will distribute more than 5,600 air purifiers to 31 school districts in October, county officials announced on Tuesday, Oct. 4. The health department purchased Fellowes AeraMax Pro AM3S PC Air Purifiers, which health officials reported are "proven to remove over 99.99% of COVID-19 particles from the air." The department used $5.2 million in federal fun…

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by Nicole Valinote
Police & Fire
Neighbor’s Dog Bites Mom, 2-Year-Old Daughter In Westchester, Police Say Neighbor’s Dog Bites Mom, 2-Year-Old Daughter In Westchester, Police Say
Neighbor’s Dog Bites Mom, 2-Year-Old Daughter In Westchester, Police Say A mother and her toddler are recovering after being bitten by a neighbor's dog in Westchester County. The incident took place in Yonkers around midnight on Monday, June 20. According to investigators, the mother and her 2-year-od daughter were walking out of their apartment building at 279 South Broadway when a pit bull named Onyx ran out of an apartment and was startled by the pair, said Det. Lt. Dean Politopoulos, of the Yonkers Police Department. The child was bitten in the face and the mother received lacerations to her ankle and above her left eyebrow, Plitopoulos said. The owne…

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by Kathy Reakes
News
First Case Of Monkeypox Identified In Westchester First Case Of Monkeypox Identified In Westchester
First Case Of Monkeypox Identified In Westchester As the number of monkeypox cases continues to expand across the state, the first reported case in Westchester County has been confirmed, bringing the suspected case count statewide to 21. The latest number from the state Department of Health includes 19 monkeypox cases in New York City and one case each in Westchester and Sullivan counties. "The Westchester County Department of Health was notified that the first individual from Westchester County has been confirmed to have orthopoxvirus also known as Monkeypox," said Catherine Cioffi, director of communications for the department. …

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by Kathy Reakes
News
Westchester Health Department To Offer Minnows To Reduce Mosquitoes In Backyards Westchester Health Department To Offer Minnows To Reduce Mosquitoes In Backyards
Westchester Health Department To Offer Minnows To Reduce Mosquitoes In Backyards In an effort to keep mosquito populations low in residents' backyards, the Westchester County Department of Health will soon start giving away minnows to put in residential ponds. Officials announced that the minnows will be available from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Friday, May 6, and Saturday, May 7, at the  Westchester County Airport, located at 2 Loop Road in West Harrison. The county said minnows eat mosquito larvae. "With their hearty appetites, this baitfish can keep mosquitos from breeding in your pond and biting you in your own backyard," Health Commissioner Sherlita Amler said.…

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by Nicole Valinote
News
COVID-19: Town In Northern Westchester Reinstitutes Restrictions COVID-19: Town In Northern Westchester Reinstitutes Restrictions
Covid-19: Town In Northern Westchester Reinstitutes Restrictions A Northern Westchester town is leaving nothing to chance when it comes to COVID-19 as it contends with a fresh rise in new infections and cases as the county contends with the much more contagious Delta variant. Officials in Yorktown announced that the town will be reinstating certain COVID-19 restrictions in an effort to beat back the virus, which has been rapidly spreading in the Hudson Valley as the Delta variant of the virus has become the dominant strain ruling the region. According to the new guidelines, residents and visitors in Yorktown will be required to mask up in certain situati…

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by Zak Failla
News
COVID-19: Here's How Many Hudson Valley Hospital Workers Have Been Vaccinated, Refused Shot COVID-19: Here's How Many Hudson Valley Hospital Workers Have Been Vaccinated, Refused Shot
Covid-19: Here's How Many Hudson Valley Hospital Workers Have Been Vaccinated, Refused Shot The lowest percentage of hospital employees who have received the COVID-19 vaccine in New York reside in the Hudson Valley. New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo said that 57.9 percent of hospital workers in the Hudson Valley have received the COVID-19 vaccine, while statewide, a total of 60.8 percent of medical professionals have been vaccinated. The percentage in the Hudson Valley is the lowest in the state, behind New York City (59 percent), Long Island (60 percent), Mohawk Valley (60.1 percent), and Western New York (63 percent).  Cuomo also made note that vaccination performance is uneven b…

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by Zak Failla
News
COVID-19: New Positive Case Reported At High School In Westchester COVID-19: New Positive Case Reported At High School In Westchester
Covid-19: New Positive Case Reported At High School In Westchester A new positive case of COVID-19 has been reported at a high school in Westchester. The announcement was made late Sunday afternoon, Nov. 8 by Irvington Union Free School District Superintendent Dr. Kris Harrison. "After consultation with the Westchester County Department of Health, due to the individual’s last day of physical attendance on the MS/HS Campus, we have been advised that it is appropriate for the campus to remain open tomorrow and follow its normal schedule," Harrison said in an email to the community.  "Based on the circumstances related to this matter, at this time,…

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by Joe Lombardi
News
COVID-19: Village In Westchester Named As NY Yellow Cluster Zone Due To Case Increases COVID-19: Village In Westchester Named As NY Yellow Cluster Zone Due To Case Increases
Covid-19: Village In Westchester Named As NY Yellow Cluster Zone Due To Case Increases A Westchester village has become the first in the county to be designated as a COVID-19 “yellow zone,” due to the recent rise in cases in recent weeks. Like the rest of the country, New York has seen a surge in COVID-19 cases in recent weeks, prompting Gov. Andrew Cuomo to declare part of Port Chester as a warning zone near the Connecticut border as the village has sustained an average positive infection rate above 2.5 percent. Cuomo said that in response to the uptick in positive cases, the Westchester County Department of Health coordinated to provide rapid testing at Open Door on Grace C…

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by Zak Failla
News
COVID-19: Teachers, Student, Staff Member, Test Positive At School In Westchester COVID-19: Teachers, Student, Staff Member, Test Positive At School In Westchester
Covid-19: Teachers, Student, Staff Member, Test Positive At School In Westchester Another student at a Westchester school has tested positive for COVID-19 and may have exposed teachers and a staff member, according to district officials. Interim New Rochelle Schools Superintendent Alex Marrero announced that a “Cohort A” student at Columbus Elementary School has tested positive for the virus this week, forcing the district to make adjustments. The student was last in the building on Monday, Nov. 2, and his classmates, as well as two teachers and one support staff member, were potentially impacted by exposure to the virus. Anyone who came into contact with the student wi…

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by Zak Failla
Schools
COVID-19: Westchester School To Stay Remote All Week, 48 Quarantined COVID-19: Westchester School To Stay Remote All Week, 48 Quarantined
Covid-19: Westchester School To Stay Remote All Week, 48 Quarantined Four dozen students and staffers in a Westchester school will enter a two-week quarantine after potentially being exposed to COVID-19 last week. Interim New Rochelle Schools Superintendent Alex Marrero alerted the community on Saturday, Oct. 31 that a staff member at Albert Leonard Middle School tested positive for the virus after last being in the building on Tuesday, Oct. 27. On Monday, Nov. 2, Marrero announced that the school has identified 35 students from "Cohort A" and 13 staff members as possibly having been exposed to the individual who tested positive for the virus. Earlier stor…

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by Zak Failla
Schools
COVID-19: New Staff Member At Westchester School Tests Positive, Five Classes Exposed COVID-19: New Staff Member At Westchester School Tests Positive, Five Classes Exposed
Covid-19: New Staff Member At Westchester School Tests Positive, Five Classes Exposed A Westchester middle school was forced to transition to remove learning after as many as five classes may have been exposed to the virus last week. Interim New Rochelle Schools Superintendent Alex Marrero announced that a staff member at Albert Leonard Middle School has tested positive for COVID-19 and was last in the building on Tuesday, Oct. 27. Marrero said that through contact tracing, at least seven teachers and five “Cohort A” classes were potentially exposed, and have been instructed to quarantine. He noted that students in “Cohort B” will not require quarantine. Since the pandemic …

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by Zak Failla
News
COVID-19: High School In Northern Westchester Closes After Cases Linked To Social Event COVID-19: High School In Northern Westchester Closes After Cases Linked To Social Event
Covid-19: High School In Northern Westchester Closes After Cases Linked To Social Event A high school in Northern Westchester has closed for in-person learning for the remainder of the week due to several cases of COVID-19 linked to a social event. Dr. Jen Lamia, Superintendent of Schools for the Byram Hills Central School District in Armonk made the announcement in an email to the community Wednesday night, Oct. 27, stating that Byram Hills High School will be on a remote schedule Wednesday, Oct. 28, Thursday, Oct. 29, and Friday, Oct. 30. "The district has just learned of two more positive COVID-19 cases, totaling four, at the high school, linked to a social event …

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by Joe Lombardi
News
COVID-19: Two Schools In Northern Westchester Close After Positive Case COVID-19: Two Schools In Northern Westchester Close After Positive Case
Covid-19: Two Schools In Northern Westchester Close After Positive Case Two schools in Northern Westchester are closed for in-person learning after COVID-19 exposure. The Somers Central School District announced Sunday night, Oct. 25 that both Somers High School and Somers Middle School have switched to remote learning for Monday, Oct. 26 and Tuesday, Oct. 27, unless otherwise insructed by the Westchester County Department of Health. The news comes after it was confirmed that an individual with the COVID 19 virus was discovered to be present at both the Somers Middle School and the Somers High School while infectious.  Contact tracing efforts are un…

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by Joe Lombardi
Schools
COVID-19: 29 Were In Contact With Westchester Student Who Tested Positive COVID-19: 29 Were In Contact With Westchester Student Who Tested Positive
Covid-19: 29 Were In Contact With Westchester Student Who Tested Positive One day after welcoming students back to some school buildings, a school district in Westchester is facing its first COVID-19 crisis. On Monday, Oct. 19, the New Rochelle School District transitioned to its hybrid learning model, with some of its youngest students returning to in-person learning. The following day, on Tuesday, Oct. 20, interim Schools Superintendent Alex Marrero announced that 29 students have been in contact with an individual who tested positive for COVID-19. Those students have been instructed by the Westchester County Department of Health to quarantine for 14 days. All…

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by Zak Failla
News
COVID-19: New Positive Case Confirmed At School In Westchester COVID-19: New Positive Case Confirmed At School In Westchester
Covid-19: New Positive Case Confirmed At School In Westchester A positive COVID-19 case has been confirmed at a school in the Hudson Valley. The Port Chester-Rye Union Free School District reported early Monday evening, Oct. 19 that an individual with COVID-19 was at John F. Kennedy Elementary School while infectious.  The exposed individuals must quarantine for 14 days from the last exposure date and should be tested for COVID-19 five days after the last exposure.  "By law, we must maintain this person’s confidentiality, which prevents us from further identifying the individual and his/her reason for being in the school," the district …

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by Joe Lombardi
News
COVID-19: Two New Westchester Schools To Close After Exposure COVID-19: Two New Westchester Schools To Close After Exposure
Covid-19: Two New Westchester Schools To Close After Exposure Two new Westchester schools will become the latest to temporarily transition to remote learning after a positive COVID-19 case was confirmed. The White Plains School District announced on Wednesday, Oct. 14 that a member of the Post Road Elementary School community has tested positive for the virus, prompting the district to transition the school to remote learning through at least Wednesday, Oct. 28. Yonkers Public Schools Superintendent Dr. Edwin M. Quezada announced late Wednesday afternoon that the Enrico Fermi Elementary School will be closed to non-essential staff until Friday, Oct. …

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by Zak Failla
News
COVID-19: Two New Cases Reported At School District In Northern Westchester COVID-19: Two New Cases Reported At School District In Northern Westchester
Covid-19: Two New Cases Reported At School District In Northern Westchester Two new cases of COVID-19 have been reported at one of the largest school districts in Northern Westchester. The Bedford Central School District said it learned of the cases -- one from Fox Lane Middle School and the other at Fox Lane High School -- on Tuesday, Oct. 13. "The two individuals are from the same family and they are currently isolating, and due to federal health privacy laws further information about their identity cannot be released," BCSD Superintendent of Schools Joel Adelberg said in a statement to the school community. Students and staff who were potentially…

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by Joe Lombardi
News
COVID-19: New Positive Case Reported At School District In Northern Westchester COVID-19: New Positive Case Reported At School District In Northern Westchester
Covid-19: New Positive Case Reported At School District In Northern Westchester A new school district in the Hudson Valley is reporting a confirmed case of COVID-19. The latest case comes in Westchester where the Mount Pleasant Central School District said it learned on Tuesday, Oct. 6 that a member of the school community tested positive on Monday, Oct. 5.  The person has not been in or around any school buildings since Thursday, Sept. 24, and has been in quarantine, Mount Pleasant Central School District Superintendent of Schools Kurtis M. Kotes said in an email to the school community. "The district has been in contact with the Westchester Count…

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by Joe Lombardi
News
COVID-19: School In Westchester Extends Closure After Positive Case COVID-19: School In Westchester Extends Closure After Positive Case
Covid-19: School In Westchester Extends Closure After Positive Case A school in the Hudson Valley has extended its closure after a positive case of COVID-19. Dows Lane Lane Elementary School, located in Westchester County in Irvington-on-Hudson, was closed for in-person learning Friday, Oct. 2.  All Dows Lane students participated in remote learning with all other Irvington schools open. Late Friday afternoon, Irvington Union Free School District Superintendent Dr. Kris Harrison announced Dows Lane will remain closed through Monday, Oct. 5. "The past 24 hours have certainly been stressful for some members of the Irvington UFSD family,"…

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by Joe Lombardi
News
COVID-19: Students Who Attended Large Gatherings Banned From HS In Northern Westchester COVID-19: Students Who Attended Large Gatherings Banned From HS In Northern Westchester
Covid-19: Students Who Attended Large Gatherings Banned From HS In Northern Westchester A group of high school students in Northern Westchester who attended large gatherings over the weekend have been banned from school grounds and will have to switch to remote learning for the next two weeks  The Bedford Central School District Board of Education said it was informed by local police authorities and community members that large groups of Fox Lane High School students attended large gatherings this past weekend, without regard for social distancing, masks and "all of the health and safety measures we have all been asked to follow as we continue to combat…

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by Joe Lombardi
News
COVID-19: Alert Issued For Exposure At Westchester Church COVID-19: Alert Issued For Exposure At Westchester Church
Covid-19: Alert Issued For Exposure At Westchester Church An alert has been issued for potential exposure to COVID-19 for those who visited a church in Westchester. A person who tested positive for COVID-19 attended a confirmation ceremony at Holy Rosary Roman Catholic Church on Bradhurst Avenue in Hawthorne on Saturday, Sept. 26 at 10:30 a.m. Everyone who attended rehearsals on Friday, Sept. 25, the confirmation ceremony, wedding ceremony and evening mass on Saturday are advised to consult with your doctor, the church said. Masses and baptisms scheduled for Sunday, Sept. 27 were suspended while the church was sanitized. Regular mass schedu…

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by Joe Lombardi
News
COVID-19: 20 Pace University Students Test Positive COVID-19: 20 Pace University Students Test Positive
Covid-19: 20 Pace University Students Test Positive Twenty students at Pace University's Westchester campus have tested positive for COVID-19, university officials said. Four students tested positive on Monday, Sept. 21, prompting the university to test nearly 600 community members, according to Pace's director of public affairs, Jerry McKinstry. Sixteen other individuals subsequently tested positive, and the university notified the county's health department, McKinstry said in a letter to the Pace community. Those students -- 18 of whom are living in Alumni Hall in Pleasantville -- have been isolated and their contacts are also quarantinin…

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by Cecilia Levine
News
COVID-19: High School In Northern Westchester Temporarily Closes After Exposure COVID-19: High School In Northern Westchester Temporarily Closes After Exposure
Covid-19: High School In Northern Westchester Temporarily Closes After Exposure A Northern Westchester high school will be closed through the rest of the week after there was COVID-19 exposure. Somers Schools Superintendent Raymond Blanch issued a letter to parents on Thursday, Sept. 24 advising of the positive COVID-19 test in the high school, and that the district will be transitioning to remote learning for the rest of the week. Students were dismissed from Somers High School early on Thursday, and the building will remain closed for 48 hours to allow crews to sanitize and disinfect spaces the exposed person may have frequented. Blanch said that the district is wor…

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by Zak Failla