March 5, 2020
CONTACT: Kara Kane
Email: kara.kane@erie.gov  
Phone: (716) 858-4941 

ERIE COUNTY DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH UPDATE ON CORONAVIRUS QUARANTINE PROTOCOL

Number of individuals in quarantine countywide to be made public 

All personal information, including place of residence and age, will be protected

ERIE COUNTY, NY - The Erie County Department of Health will make public the number of individuals under quarantine within Erie County based on their potential exposure to coronavirus disease (COVID-19), while taking all precautions to protect the privacy of the affected individuals and their families.

Beginning today, March 6, 2020, ECDOH will make that number public, and will update that data weekly on its web site. No personal information - including age, occupation, school district, and location of residence – related to these individuals will be included in this regular report. 

“Protecting the privacy of these individuals while also keeping the public informed is of paramount importance and we are doing everything we can to maintain that. By releasing this aggregate data, we will be able to keep the public up-to-date on the quarantine process while protecting that privacy,” said Commissioner of Health Dr. Gale Burstein. “This number will change constantly from day to day, so releasing it weekly is most practical means to get this information out. Currently we do not have a confirmed case of COVID-19 in Erie County, but if that changes the public will also be made aware of that.”

As of today, 116 individuals are in quarantine in Erie County as part of the coronavirus protocol. These individuals are in every legislative district and are at varying points in the quarantine process, which can vary based on travel history and the updates to guidelines from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Since the end of January, ECDOH has managed 147 total quarantine cases, and 31 individuals have completed their quarantine period. 

Dr. Burstein continued, “Our epidemiology office is in contact with these individuals daily throughout the course of their quarantine period. The quarantine process is a safeguard and a proven preventive measure to protect public health.”

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Erie County Department of Health, COVID-19 resources: www.erie.gov/covid19

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