Outbreak at Montgomery County Manufacturing Plant Causes Spike In COVID-19 Cases

Oneida County saw a large spike in positive COVID-19 cases over the weekend due to an outbreak at an aluminum manufacturing plant in Montgomery County.

On Saturday, County Executive Anthony Picente announced 24 new positive cases with no new deaths.

On Sunday, Picente announced 36 new positive COVID-19 cases and no new deaths. 25 of the new cases Sunday resulted from Oneida County residents employed at the Montgomery County manufacturing plant.

Picente says, "The Oneida County Health Department began tracking cases from this site recently and in conjunction with the company, the Montgomery County Health Department and the New York State Health Department, an investigation and targeted testing of its employees were conducted. More positive cases may be reflected in our future reports as the results of that mass testing continue to come in."

Picente did not specifically name the facility in which the cases came from, but will continue to monitor the situation. The Governor released information on his website indicating the spread at the Montgomery County facility may be related to an outbreak at an apple picking plant in Oswego County. Both cases are being investigated.

Despite the continuing increase in positive cases, as of Sunday there were only 15 residents hospitalized in Oneida County and two outside the county. Out of the 1,140 positive cases since the pandemic began, 299 cases are still active with 322 people under mandatory quarantine and 139 under precautionary quarantine.

Picente also announced several possible public exposures to COVID-19.

06/15/2020
Time of exposure: 6:30 a.m. – 7 a.m.
Place of exposure: Centro Bus’s Clinton bus from the Utica HUB at 15 Elizabeth St. to Lutheran Care at 110 Utica St., Clinton
Wore mask: Yes
Symptom monitoring period: up to 06/29/20

Time of exposure: 6:30 p.m. – 7 p.m.
Place of exposure: Centro Bus’s Clinton bus from Lutheran Care at 110 Utica St., Clinton to the Utica HUB at 15 Elizabeth St.
Wore mask: Yes
Symptom monitoring period: up to 06/29/20

6/15 – 6/19/20 (employee exposure)
Time of exposure:  8 a.m. to 1 p.m. (shift worked each day)
Place of exposure: Café Domenico
Address of exposure: 2011 Genesee St., Utica
Wore mask: Yes
Symptom Monitoring Period: up to two weeks from date exposed

6/19/20
Time of exposure: 7 p.m. to 8 p.m.
Place of exposure: Café Florentine
Address of exposure: 11 Ellinwood Drive New Hartford
Wore mask: Yes, until they were seated as per NYS regulations
Symptom Monitoring period: up to 7/3/20

6/21/20
Time of exposure: 4 p.m. to 5:30 p.m.
Place of exposure: Lucky Mey’s Market
Address of exposure: 1633 Oneida St, Utica, NY 13501
Wore mask: Yes
Symptom Monitoring period: up to 7/5/20