Coronavirus News: COVID-19 cases up to 27 after exposure at Westchester County high school graduation

Coronavirus cluster in Westchester County after high school graduation events

ByEyewitness News WABC logo

Tuesday, July 7, 2020

COVID-19 cases up to 27 after exposure at NY graduation

A cluster of COVID-19 cases stemming from high school graduation events in Westchester County has increased to 27.

CHAPPAQUA, New York (WABC) -- A cluster of COVID-19 cases stemming from high school graduation events in Westchester County has increased to 27.

Officials said Monday that the majority of the 27 cases are students.

Westchester County Executive George Latimer said he hopes the cases are now leveling off as no new cases have emerged in the past two days that were traceable to the cluster.

Last week, officials said at least 14 people tested positive for coronavirus following the graduation events in Chappaqua.

Latimer said two families traveled to Florida prior to the event and two individuals came back with coronavirus

One of the individuals attended the Horace Greeley High School drive-in graduation ceremony held on June 20 at Chappaqua Train Station, began showing symptoms after the event and tested positive for coronavirus four days later.

In addition to the graduation ceremony, the student participated in a non-school related "Field Night" event on June 20, which was also attended by juniors and seniors and students from surrounding school districts.

Latimer said of the 27 positive cases, 21 were from Chappaqua, three were from Mount Kisco, two were from Bedford and two were from Pleasantville.

Officials had previously urged anyone who attended the graduation ceremony, Field Night, or any other events associated with the graduation to quarantine through July 5.

A Tri-State travel quarantine was announced by Cuomo on June 18, including New Yorkers returning home from elsewhere.

Raw Video: NY Gov. Andrew Cuomo gives details on the multi-state travel advisory announced Wednesday along with NJ Gov. Murphy and CT Gov. Lamont.

Right now travelers from eight states are required to quarantine for 14 days if they come to New York, New Jersey, or Connecticut.

Those states are Alabama, Arkansas, Arizona, Florida, North Carolina, South Carolina, Utah, and Texas.

Gov. Andrew Cuomo also issued a new executive order that makes New York employees who voluntarily travel to high-risk states after June 25 ineligible for COVID-19 paid sick leave.

"New Yorkers have controlled the spread of this unprecedented virus by being smart and disciplined, and our progress to date is illustrated by the current low numbers of new cases and hospitalizations," Cuomo said. "But as we are seeing in other states who reopened quickly, the pandemic is far from over and we need stay vigilant. We're prepared to do the aggressive testing and contact tracing required to slow and ultimately control any potential clusters of new cases like the one in Westchester County. If we are going to maintain the progress we've seen, we need everyone to take personal responsibility - that's why I'm issuing an executive order that says any New York employee who voluntarily travels to a high-risk state will not be eligible for the COVID protections we created under paid sick leave."

For information about testing, please contact your local healthcare provider, or click here.

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