An individual in Tompkins County tested positive for COVID-19, the Tompkins County Health Department announced in a health advisory on Saturday. The individual — a a member of the Ithaca College community — became symptomatic on March 5, right before the college’s spring break.
“While this is the first case of COVID-19 in Tompkins County, we are prepared to respond to limit future exposures and community spread of the virus. We are looking to our community to take shared responsibility by practicing social distancing and helping each other during the weeks to come,” stated Frank Kruppa, Public Health Director.
The individual’s sample was tested at the New York State Department of Health’s Wadsworth Laboratory in Albany. Currently, the individual is in mandatory isolation at home and nurses in Tompkins County are working to determine if there was any additional exposure.
The nurses are now in daily contact with any other individuals who were potentially exposed to the student on March 5 or later.
As of Friday afternoon, there are 52 people in Tompkins County under quarantine and 15 waiting for test results.
Correction, March 15, 2:36 p.m.: A previous version of this article misstated the individual’s status at Ithaca College. It is unclear whether this individual is a student at the college.