OBSERVER Photo by Natasha Matteliano Dunkirk Mayor Wilfred Rosas said the city, along with county and local officials, remain in contact with Fieldbrook Foods Inc. following a COVID-19 outbreak.

Chautauqua County Executive PJ Wendel confirmed that of the 37 new COVID-19 cases reported Thursday, two dozen were the result of a mass testing at Fieldbrook Foods Inc. in Dunkirk.

Wendel said a press conference will be held Friday at 10 a.m. in Mayville to update the public on the COVID situation.

On Thursday, the Chautauqua County Department of Health reported a spike in new cases. They include three people under the age of 18, a young adult male, five men in their 20s, four men and three women in their 30s, eight men and three women in their 40s, three men and two women in their 50s, a man and woman in their 60s, and man and woman in their 70s and a woman in her 80s.

Due to a COVID outbreak at the Dunkirk ice cream manufacturing, the county public health staff in conjunction with state Department of Health, County Emergency Services, The Chautauqua Center, Alstar, and Fredonia Fire Department, conducted a mass testing event at the Fieldbrook plant Tuesday.

The New York State Wadsworth Laboratory results confirmed 24 new COVID-19 cases from the testing clinic.