Ulster County resident tests positive at Crystal Run Healthcare in Middletown

A patient from Ulster County tested positive for the novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV) which causes COVID-19. The patient was tested at Crystal Run Healthcare in Middletown, NY. The patient was a senior male from the Town of Shawangunk and lives with his family. The patient and three members of his family are now in quarantine.

This is the second case of COVID-19 confirmed in Ulster County and it prompted Ulster County Executive Pat Ryan to issue the following statement: "For weeks Ulster County has been preparing and refining our response to COVID-19 while updating the public and community leaders daily as the situation unfolds. Residents should continue to exercise caution, but I must stress that this is not a cause for panic. Based on new developments in the County, we are recommending that all nursing homes and assisted living facilities within the county cease visitation for at least the month of March. We also ask that all residents who are at higher risk - in particular seniors and those with chronic medical conditions - take necessary precautions such as avoiding large gatherings and public events."

 A person who answered the phone at the Crystal Run's COVID-19 hotline said the New York State Department of Health would contact people who may have been in contact with the patient.

Crystal Run issued a statement that read, “Providers and staff involved in the care of the patient followed Crystal Run’s stringent COVID-19 plan, based on Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and New York State Department of Health (DOH) guidelines. As a result, we were able to identify the patient quickly and take appropriate action, working in conjunction with local public health authorities.”

The number of confirmed COVID-19 cases in New York State is now 212, with a cluster of 121 in New Rochelle, which is the biggest cluster in the U.S. A containment operation is in place for 1 mile surrounding a synagogue in New Rochelle, where the cluster originated. The containment is meant to prevent large gatherings in the area and does not impact the movement of individuals.