Monroe County officials said they are concerned with the rapid rise in the number of COVID-19 cases that have been reported in recent days.
On Friday County Executive Adam Bello and Commissioner of Public Health Dr. Michael Mendoza held a briefing on the rising numbers for the second straight day.
Mendoza said the Friday's report showed a sharp rise in COVID cases, an increase of 174, and said he’s even more worried about the speed of the recent spikes.
“Because of the rate of increase - it is increasing at much higher rate than I’m comfortable with - my concern is that we are heading toward a slippery slope that it will be very hard to turn back from,” Mendoza said.
Bello said he is in constant contact with the state to find ways of reducing the spread of the virus.
“Over the next several days, we will devise a strategy to help us understand how we can start to slow the spread here at home and across the region to make sure that we get to a place where our numbers start going down,” Bello noted.
The news conference with Bello and Mendoza came on the same day Gov. Andrew Cuomo said he was concernedabout the rising rates of COVID-19 in areas that include Monroe, Erie and Onondaga Counties.
Cuomo said his office would be in touch with local officials and it is expected the state may employ its targeted enforcement strategy in some areas of those counties, or what has been called the micro-cluster strategy.
Both Bello and Mendoza believe that much of the recent increase in COVID-19 locally is due to people not following basic precautions like wearing masks in public and observing social distancing guidelines.
Also on Friday, the Monroe County Department of Public Health urged anyone who visited Bathtub Billy’s, 630 W. Ridge Rd., on any of the following days to contact the department by emailing COVID19@monroecounty.gov:
Sunday, Oct. 25
Monday, Oct. 26
Tuesday, Oct. 27
Wednesday, Oct. 28
Thursday, Oct. 29
Friday, Oct. 30
Saturday, Oct. 31
Sunday, Nov. 1
The county said that visitors to the restaurant may have been in close contact with several employees who have tested positive for COVID-19. Based on the information available to the county, officials said that Bathtub Billy’s may not have followed all guidance to lessen the risk of infection for staff and patrons.
Individuals who were at the establishment to dine-in, drink or pick up an order on any of those days should immediately self-quarantine and get tested for COVID-19. They should also be alert for symptoms of COVID-19.
