Coronavirus in NY: Tioga County has first positive COVID-19 case, will close schools
Ashley BivianoTioga County has its first positive case of COVID-19 and officials declared a state of emergency Saturday. All public schools in the county will close until mid-April.
County officials said there is only one known confirmed case, and staff is continuing to monitor the situation and determine individuals and places this individual might have had close contact with.
Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced Saturday that Tioga and Tompkins counties each have one new positive case of COVID-19.
An 82-year-old New York City woman died after being infected with the novel coronavirus, the state's first death related to the virus at the center of a global pandemic. Cuomo said the state now has 524 positive cases.
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Tioga County's school closure includes all extracurricular activities until April 14. Some schools could remain open for administrative staff and staff services.
“Continuing our collective efforts of ‘social-distancing’, we have directed schools in Tioga County to close” said Tioga County Legislative Chair and Public Health Director Lisa McCafferty. “School dismissal is an effective public health measure to prevent and slow the transmission of COVID-19.”
The decision comes a day after Tompkins County and Tompkins-Seneca-Tioga BOCES announced it was closing all seven of its school districts in the county.
School districts in Tioga include Candor, Newark Valley, Owego-Apalachin, Spencer-Van Etten, Tioga Central and Waverr
Broome County officials say there have been no confirmed cases of COVID-19 in the county despite Gov. Andrew Cuomo's announcement Thursday that Broome had its first positive case.
The New York State Health Department confirmed a University at Albany student who tested positive is from Broome County.
Live updates: SUNY Albany student from Broome tests positive
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Officials in Chemung County and Schuyler County declared states of emergency Saturday. Steuben County also said a state of emergency will go into effect Wednesday.
In Chemung, students will attend school Monday but will not return until April 14. The Odessa-Montour School District and Watkins Glen School District in Schuyler County will be closed Monday, reopen Tuesday so students can receive remote learning materials, and then close through April 13.
Steuben County officials directed schools to close March 18 through April 12.
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