ORLEANS COUNTY, N.Y. — Nursing homes remain a big problem around New York State during the COVID-19 pandemic, and there are investigations into some of the worst hot spots there.
Western New York Assemblyman Steve Hawley says they're making progress looking into the problem at The Villages of Orleans Health and Rehabilitation Center, which accounts for more than half of Orleans County's 124 confirmed cases and almost all of its 18 deaths.
Hawley says the health department, the governor's and the attorney general's offices, as well as local and federal agencies are all investigating.
The Genesee and Orleans County Health Departments reported five more COVID-19 cases in Orleans County on Saturday.
Of the five new cases, two people are residents of the Villages of Orleans, and the other three are community members.
Overall, there are 124 confirmed cases of coronavirus; 18 people have died, and 40 people have recovered. There are 15 active cases.
Also in Western New York, late Friday afternoon, the New York State Department of Health acknowledged its personnel has visited Newfane Rehabilitation and Health Care Center in northern Niagara County.
Agency spokesman Jeffrey Hammond release a two-sentence statement, “The Department of Health was onsite today at Newfane Rehabilitation and Health Care Center. As this is an ongoing investigation, we cannot comment further.”
