Four new COVID cases at Essex Center

ELIZABETHTOWN | Essex County's Public Health Department on Sept. 10 reported no new cases of COVID-19 related to the Essex Center outbreak. But by Monday, collated test results added four COVID-19 positive residents to those in isolation at the nursing home, and two additional staff had tested positive. The nursing home manages testing protocol for residents and staff. Federal public health personnel have implemented the rapid-test for nursing home residents. And County Public Health tracks and traces spread of disease outside the facility, working with close contacts of employees. Employees at Essex Center have told the Sun that rapid-test protocol are not being used on them, and COVID test results for staff are taking over a week to come back. One employee reportedly had their weekly test done the second week in September before the prior week's test result was in. The first four cases of COVID-19 at Essex Center were found in July among employees. The first resident died on Aug. 17. Eleven elders have died out of the 86 who live or received rehabilitative care at the facility. Five cases of COVID-19 remain active in the county as of Monday, Sept. 14, and three elders from the nursing home are in the hospital. Public Health information shows 104 people have recovered or been released from isolation since the outbreak began. An infectious disease outbreak or "cluster" is defined by a large number of cases reaching above what public health staff expects to see within a certain time frame. "We're always doing communicable disease surveillance," Senior Public Health Educator Andrea Whitmarsh told the Sun. "We would consider an 'outbreak' to be over when that number drops back to what we would expect," she said. Public Health officials urge people to remain vigilant, wear masks, maintain social distancing protocols, and wash hands frequently, especially with flu season coming. But with an apparent decrease in active cases in Essex County, area banks Champlain National Bank and TrailNorth Federal Credit Union reopened lobby services on Monday.

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Five active COVID cases current in Essex Co.

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