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Area spike being probed

North county cluster is getting attention

OBSERVER File Photo

A cluster of cases in the north county is being investigated by the Department of Health.

In a news release issued on Thursday afternoon, officials said they were investigating an outbreak of COVID-19 cases as the result of a private event.

“We’ve detected over the last week that they are linked to a private event,” County Executive PJ Wendel told the OBSERVER. “We just wanted to put the information out. There hasn’t been a large spike. Only 11 in the last week. But, we wanted to put that out there and that they were linked to the same event; they’ve been contact traced and followed accordingly.”

Specifics of that event were not disclosed in the release. However, in the last week, the OBSERVER has learned of a number of infections that have taken a toll on members of private clubs. These clubs are located on the east side of Dunkirk.

Wendel said he “had not been made aware” that the cases were related to the club.

“We’re seeing a number of cases coming out and we’ve seen as many as five in the Dunkirk ZIP code,” he said. “We just wanted to let people know so that we can mititgate the spread of the disease.”

Since Oct. 10, the county Health Department has reported 42 cases in Dunkirk-Fredonia.

On Thursday, officials reported 12 new cases of the coronavirus, of which five are in the Dunkirk zip code, one in Fredonia, one in Silver Creek, one in Brocton, one in Jametown, two in Clymer and one in Lakewood.

Regarding the outbreak at Tanglewood Manor, the county Health Department on Thursday said there are currently 10 active cases among employees and 44 active cases among residents associated with the adult care facilities; eight employees and 42 residents of Tanglewood Manor associated with this outbreak have recovered.

As of Tuesday, the latest data available, 16 people with COVID-19 remain hospitalized, in addition to 783 recoveries, 13 deaths and 924 total confirmed cases.

Cameron Hurst contributed to this story.

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