Five more Covid cases connected to Lee House

PORT HENRY | Covid-19 testing at the Lee House apartments in Port Henry Thursday revealed an additional five cases of the illness in addition to the four that had been detected earlier, Essex County health officials said on Oct. 16. This includes people who live in the apartment complex and outside contacts, officials said In light of the initial cluster, the Health Department tested 38 people and got the results back within 24 hours, said spokeswoman Andrea Whitmarsh. Two additional cases unrelated to the Lee House cluster were also reported to the department on Friday, she said. "The Health Department has spoken with all new cases today to issue isolation orders, conduct case investigations, and determine contacts that might be at risk of exposure," said Linda Beers, Director of Public Health for the department, in a press release. Officials said residents should know that they are doing everything possible to reduce the risk to the community. "I am in constant communication with Public Health and the concern is stopping the spread," said Moriah Supervisor Tom Scozzafava. "The health department is doing a great job in this extremely difficult situation. They are monitoring all residents and will continue to do so. If everyone practices social distancing and wears a mask when out in public places, that is the best defense that currently exists." Officials said that community members have expressed concern about activity at the Lee House Apartments, after the Essex County Board of Supervisors suspended outside visitors to the building this past Sunday. But "We want to remind the community that many of the residents are not under an isolation or quarantine order based on our assessment and are free to come and go from the building. There are also several residents who receive essential medical and/or personal services, so there will still be some traffic in and out of the apartments," Beers said. "This uptick in cases we're experiencing is not unique to Essex County and is an important reminder of how opportunistic this virus is when we let down our guard," said Beers. "We're finding that even smaller, indoor family gatherings, really fuels the spread of this virus. As cold and flu season is upon us, it's even more important than ever to closely follow mask wearing, social distancing, handwashing, and gathering guidelines — and get a flu shot."

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Five more Covid cases connected to Lee House

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