Multiple Chautauqua County COVID-19 cases linked to Fieldbrook Foods
Chautauqua County health officials are monitoring a COVID-19 outbreak at a food manufacturing facility in Dunkirk.
ONE OF THEREASONS... OURREGION'S NUMBERS...HAVE BEEN THEHIGHEST IN THE STATE-- AN OUTBREAK ATFIELDBROOK FOODS INDUNKIRK.21 OF THE 31 POSITIVECASES INCHAUTUAUQUACOUNTY MONDAYWERE TIED TOFIELDBROOK.
BYTHURSDAY..
24 NEWCASES HAD BEENCONFIRMED.7 EYEWITNESS NEWSSENIOR REPORTEREILEEN BUCKLEY HASTHE LATEST TONIGHTON EFFORTS TO STOPTHE SPREAD INDUNKIRK.CHAUTUAQUA COUNTYOFFICIALS REVEALINGMASS TESTINGCLINICS FOR COVIDWERE HELD EARLIERTHIS WEEK ..THE TESTS WEREVOLUNTARY FOREMPLOYEES OFFIELDBROOK FOODS.AND FOLLOWEARLIER CONCERNSOF MORE THAN 20-CASES LINKED TO THEFACILITY..MORE THANA WEEK AGO...PJ WENDEL.
"YOUKNOW IT IS COMMUNITYSPREAD."CHAUTAUQUA COUNTYEXECUTIVE PJWENDEL AND PUBLICHEALTH DIRECTORCHRISTINE SCHUYLERREVEALED THE NEWCASES DURING AMORNING NEWSCONFERENCE...CHRISTINE SCHULYER."WE HAVE LEARNEDTHAT THERE WERE ATLEAST TWO -- IF NOTTHREE LARGE SOCIALGATHERINGS IN THEDUNKIRK COMMUNITY."AT ONE POINT DURINGTHE NEWSBRIEFING...THE PUBLICHEALTH LEADERBECAME EMOTIONALAS SHE REMINDED THECOMMUNITY THEIRACTIONS HAVECONSEQUENCES..."THEY ALSO SPILLOVER TO ALL OF US - -WHO ARE WORKING24/7 TO TRY TOPREVENT THE SPREADOF THIS DISEASE ...I'MVERY PROUD OF MYSTAFF." ....CRIESPJ WENDEL.
"YOUKNOW YOU CAN'TCONTROL EMPLOYEES24/7 AND NONE OF USEWOULD WANT THAT."RESIDENTS WHO LIVENEAR THE PLANT SAYTHEY'RE NOT TOOWORRIED...TIFFANY SHAW.
"I'M NOTREALLY SURPRISED -PER SAY - -I'D BE MORESURPRISED IF LIKE AHOSPITAL ORSOMETHING -- OR ANURSING HOME --BECAUSE THEY'REDEALING WITH THAT ONA DAILY BASIS."EILEEN BUCKLEY.
THECHAUT.
COUNTYPUBLIC HEALTHDIRECTOR IS NOTORDERING THE PLANTOT CLOSE...FOR NOWFIELDBROOK REMAINSOPEN."FIELDBROOK MAKESICE CREAM AND ISCONSIDERED A MILKPROCESSING PLANT...THE COUNTYEXECUTIVE SAYS THECOMPANY HAS BEENVERY COOPERATIVEAND FOLLOWS ALLCOVI TO SET UP RAPIDTESTIN.THATBINS TOMORROW..MEANWHILE -- 8 NEWCOEY.7 EWN.ERIE COUNTY'S TOPWATCH DOG ISCING D INCHDAY.IN DUNKIRK.EILEENBUCKL
Chautauqua County health officials are monitoring a COVID-19 outbreak at a food manufacturing facility in Dunkirk.