1st Livingston Co. Death “Male in 20s,” Half of COVID-19 cases in Monroe/Livingston Under 50
Local town and village officials are imploring people to take the COVID-19 threat seriously and not congregate in the local parks.
While trails in Monroe County Parks such as Mendon Ponds Park in Mendon and Pittsford, Lehigh Valley Trail Linear Park in Mendon and Rush and Oatka Creek Park in Wheatland are open, all park buildings/lodge/shelters/restrooms are closed until further notice. Portable restrooms are available for public use.
However, local town/village parks are closed, according to Mendon Town Supervisor John Moffitt, Honeoye Falls Village Mayor Rick Milne and Scottsville Village Mayor Eileen Hansen. There is a shared concern among the government leaders that people, particularly young people, are congregated in parks and not maintaining social distance. Residents are calling town and village government officials or the police when they are observing people not practicing the 6-foot social distancing rule. The playground equipment at Semmel Road Park in Mendon has been cordoned off with yellow caution tape.
“Our playgrounds and equipment are not being cleaned and can be a prime location for the Corona Virus to land,” Milne stated. “Please don’t use our playground equipment at this time. Practice Social Distancing.”
Hansen said, “No one knows what others have been in contact with. Gathering is not worth risking your health and that of family/friends.”
While Mark Tubbs Memorial Park in the village and town of Lima is open for residents to use between the hours of 6 a.m. and 9 p.m. with its trails, the pavilion and bathrooms are closed, according to the Village of Lima website. Lima officials implore residents to maintain proper social distancing of at least six feet from other people while in the park.
Town and village officials are also concerned that young people feel that they are less susceptible to COVID-19 or that it hasn’t hit this area. Both Milne and Lima Town Supervisor Mike Falk confirmed to Sentinel publisher Chris Carosa on Sunday that they have been notified by Monroe County and Livingston County respectively that both the Village of Honeoye Falls and the Town of Lima have individuals infected with COVID-19.
In his March 29 Supervisor’s message on the town of Lima website, Falk said that the town had its first positive case of COVID-19 on March 29 with a male in his 40s being in quarantine at his home.
He also stated that “54% of the cases in Livingston County are people in their 20s, 30s and 40s. No one is bulletproof in this scenario. Skip the get togethers and congregating – the people you save are your friends and family.”
Moffitt, the Mendon Town Supervisor, also added his warning to younger residents.
“No one is exempt from COVID-19, and we need everyone to take precautions, if not for their own sake, for the sake of others – especially our more vulnerable populations. We will get through this as a community, and we need each person to play their very important role in stopping the spread.”
In Monroe County, there were 23 new cases as of Monday, March 30 with 12 of those patients being under the age of 50. Livingston County reported its first COVID-19 death on March 31. The official statement said, “Post-mortem testing on March 30, 2020 confirmed that a Caledonia Male in his 20s who died suddenly at home was indeed COVID-19 positive.”
