Coronavirus Update: 108 residents in voluntary isolation on Long Island
NASSAU COUNTY, Long Island (WABC) -- Officials in Nassau County announced Thursday that the final outstanding test for coronavirus has come back negative, and that 78 people remain in voluntary isolation.
Additionally, another 30 Suffolk County residents are in voluntary home isolation after recently having returned from mainland China.
Six Nassau residents were tested, with all the results negative. Officials say none of the Suffolk residents have shown any symptoms.
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The residents were asked remove themselves from contact with others, including their family members, for 14 days from the last time they were in China or may have been exposed to the virus.
They are required to report their temperature and any symptoms every day to county health officials.
"Should someone need medical care, we'll evaluate it and we have protocols in place to safely get them medical care," Nassau County Department of Health Commissioner Dr. Lawrence Eisenstein said during a press conference Wednesday.
WATCH: Nassau County officials give coronavirus update
Dr. Eisenstein said up to this point, the majority of people who have been asked to undergo voluntary isolation have been cooperative. He said if someone is not cooperative, officials have a plan in place, but they have not had to employ it.
He said since the initial outbreak of the coronavirus, 175 people in Nassau County have undergone voluntary isolation.
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The Centers for Disease Control contacts the Nassau County Health Department as soon as someone flies in from having spent some time in mainland China. The health department has 24 hours to contact the resident and interview him or her to determine if he or she needs to undergo a mandatory quarantine or voluntary isolation.
"This process has worked very well," Dr. Eisenstein said.
Dr. Eisenstein said one resident was in mandatory quarantine at the beginning of the outbreak, but the criteria for quarantine has changed since then. The person did not have the coronavirus.
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Nassau County Executive Laura Curran reassured residents county health officials are prepared for any potential outbreak of the coronavirus.
"The health department prepares for this sort of thing all year round," Curran said. "We're monitoring this situation in Nassau very, very closely and have been right from the beginning to respond to any cases should they emerge in our county."
Curran said Nassau County's Office of Emergency Management has reached out to the state to coordinate supplies and resources if needed.
Health officials also reminded residents right now they are at greater risk for the flu than coronavirus and should practice good hygiene, including frequent hand washing.
RELATED LINKS:
New York State information about coronavirus
New York City information about coronavirus
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on coronavirus
John Hopkins' coronavirus tracking dashboard
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