Chautauqua County Executive PJ Wendel announced this afternoon that two residents here have tested positive for the coronavirus.

During a briefing in Mayville, Wendel said the two cases involve a woman in her 30s from Dunkirk and a man in his 30s from Silver Creek. Both had recently traveled to the city of Buffalo. Based on an initial review of each case by Health Department epidemiology staff, these individuals appear to have had separate exposures to the novel coronavirus and both of these individuals have been in precautionary quarantine by the Health Department.

As of today, neither individual has required hospitalization. Each will continue to recover at home under mandatory isolation, per New York State Department of Health guidelines. Chautauqua County Public Health staff has begun an intensive investigation to identify close contacts of these two individuals. Once identified, our department will notify the close contacts of their potential exposure to COVID-19 and they will be placed under mandatory quarantine to monitor for symptoms.

While the positive tests confirm what Christine Schuyler, county health director, has said repeatedly about the virus already being here in the last week and a half, it could bring urgency to the matter.

“This is not a surprise to us,” Schuyler said.

Due to the positive cases, more testing kits could become available.

Tests are currently being done by all the county hospitals while there are limited tests for physicians and The Chautauqua Center.

County officials noted there are 42 individuals in quarantine and being monitored.