A Dunkirk woman, who said on a social media post around 2 p.m. Monday that she had tested positive for the coronavirus, was receiving plenty of support and prayers.

The woman, who The Post-Journal in Jamestown reached out to, did not return an inquiry by Tuesday afternoon. However, her post declaring the confirmation was receiving a great deal of traffic.

“Well I tested positive for the virus,” the post said, “so anybody that I was in contact with since February please get a hold of me so I can have the Health Department contact you.”

Through Tuesday, her post was shared more than 2,700 times and tallied 893 comments with many being positive.

County officials announced the same afternoon a third positive case of COVID-19 was confirmed. Christine Schuyler, public health director, said the individual whose positive results were received today resides in the Ashville area and had recent travel to New York City. “It is very likely that our county will have more confirmed cases. Our goal is to identify new cases quickly and prevent or limit secondary exposures to ensure public health and safety,” she said.

The other person with coronavirus is a Silver Creek male in his 30s.

Isolation and quarantine orders by the health director are as follows:

¯ Mandatory quarantine, which is a confirmed positive COVID-19 case or a household contact of a confirmed positive COVID-19 case — 14.

¯ Precautionary quarantine, which includeds a travel history to CDC level 3 country or proximal contact of a confirmed case of COVID-19 — nine.

¯ Mandatory isolation, which is symptomatic of COVID-19 and pending COVID-19 lab test — 40.

County officials said public health nurses are continuing their intensive epidemiological investigations to identify the close contacts of those with confirmed cases of COVID-19. Once identified, they notify the close household and proximal contacts of their potential exposure to COVID-19 and they are placed under the appropriate level of quarantine to monitor for symptoms.

“We are aware that many full-time Chautauqua County residents are concerned about seasonal residents, most of who own homes/property and pay property and school taxes in Chautauqua County, returning from areas outside of the County during this pandemic,” the notice stated. “As of today, there is no travel ban on in-state or interstate travel. Although Gov. Cuomo requested New Yorkers limit non-essential travel, at this time there is no shelter-in-place or lock-down order. This means that residents who winter in warmer areas and residents who summer here are free to travel to their homes in our community.”

The County’s COVID-19 Response Team is working collaboratively with seasonal communities such as the Chautauqua Institution, Lily Dale, and campgrounds to ensure precautionary messages are shared with residents.

“At this point, it’s not about the actual travel by car or where people are coming from. What really matters is what people do when they arrive and how we interact,” said Schuyler. “The guidance for social distancing and hygiene are the same for Chautauqua County residents whether they live here year-round or seasonally. When everyone adheres to these commonsense pandemic rules, we slow and limit community spread of illness.”

All counties, states and the nation as a whole are dealing with the effects of the COVID-19 virus. The only way we can protect our community and healthcare system from becoming overwhelmed with illness as a result of the novel coronavirus is to avoid being exposed to the virus. CDC recommends everyday preventive actions to help prevent the spread of respiratory diseases.

Basic precautions against the virus include:

¯ Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds. If soap and water are not available, use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer.

¯ Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth with unwashed hands.

¯ Avoid close contact with people who are sick.

¯ Stay home when you are sick.

¯ Cover your cough or sneeze with a tissue, then throw the tissue in the trash can. Clean and disinfect frequently touched objects and surfaces.

¯ Put distance between yourself and others: abide by social distancing measures and maintain 6 feet of separation from those you must be in close contact with.

¯ Get a flu shot for yourself and your family members at a local pharmacy. This will not prevent COVID-19 but it will prevent you from getting flu, keeping you healthy and out of the hospital.

Individuals with questions or concerns regarding Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19) or travel related questions are encouraged to call the New York State Department of Health Coronavirus Hotline 24/7 at 1-888-364-3065. For locally-specific information, County residents may also contact the Chautauqua County Department of Health and Human Services at 1-866-604-6789 during normal business hours.

To follow the most current information on COVID-19, please visit the County, CDC or NYSDOH webpages at: https://www.chqgov.com; https://www.facebook.com/myhealthycounty; https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus; https://coronavirus.health.ny.gov/home