Two people who attended mass at two churches on Sunday, March 8 have tested positive for COVID-19, and anyone who attended the masses are asked to contact the county Health Department and place themselves under precautionary quarantine until March 22.
The Roman Catholic Diocese of Albany said an attendee of the 10:30 a.m. mass at Our Lady of Assumption in Latham did test positive. And Albany County officials said an attendee at the 8 a.m. Welcome Chapel mass in Albany did too.
Our Lady of Assumption pastor Father Geoffrey Burke has been ordered by the Albany County Health Department to self-isolate until March 22, according to the diocese.
Anyone else who attended either of the masses is asked to contact the Health Department to, in part, determine if they need to get tested for the virus that is a worldwide pandemic.
“Testing for individual without symptoms is not recommended,” according to a statement issued by Albany County on Monday, March 16.
Symptoms include a fever, cough and shortness of breath. Anyone with these symptoms should contact a primary care physician and the Albany County Health Department at 518-447-4580.
While under precautionary quarantine:
• Individuals should remain separate from the family in their own bedroom with a bathroom to themselves. If sharing a bathroom, it must be cleaned after every use.
• Individuals should not have face-to-face contact with family members close than six feet for 14 days.
• Staff from the county Department of Health will reach out daily to check on the progress of individuals and to ensure they are abiding by the quarantine measures and have all necessary food and supplies.
Albany County has 15 confirmed cases of COVID-19 with 90 people under mandatory quarantine and another 367 under precautionary quarantine. Anyone under precautionary quarantine who does not abide by the stipulations could have the quarantine bumped to mandatory, which is legally binding.
