SWANSEA — Acting Town Administrator James Purcell and Board of Selectmen Chairman Steve Kitchin confirmed today that the Town of Swansea has been notified by Massachusetts Department of Public Health (DPH) officials of a third confirmed case of COVID-19 in Swansea.

All appropriate notifications have been made in accordance with established protocol.  The resident is currently isolated at home. Contacts of the patient have been notified and are adhering to DPH orders for quarantine so as to limit further possibilities of transmission.

Swansea Board of Health officials will continue to closely monitor the situation. In order to protect the resident’s medical privacy rights, no additional information will be disclosed.

The Town’s first positive case was announced on Sunday, March 22 and that individual is no longer in self-isolation after making a full recovery.

Swansea Board of Selectmen Chairman Steve Kitchin wishes to extend the thoughts and prayers of the community to the patients in hopes of a speedy recovery.

Town officials will continue to provide appropriate information in order to keep the community educated and informed. The Town asks that the residents of Swansea remain diligent and continue to follow the recommendations of health professionals in practicing “social distancing”, avoiding unnecessary public contact and appropriate personal hygiene.

• For a minimum of 20 seconds, wash your hands frequently with soap and hot water
• Avoid touching your eyes, nose or mouth with unwashed hands
• Avoid close contact with those who are sick
• Use a tissue to cover your nose and mouth when coughing or sneezing, then throw the tissue away and wash your hands.
• Clean and disinfect objects and surfaces
• When you have a fever or are ill, stay home from work or school

Information regarding the Town of Swansea’s response to COVID-19 can be found on the Town’s website:  www.town.swansea.ma.us

Additionally, the state has set up the phone number 211 to answer questions that residents may have concerning COVID-19. For more information, visit CDC’s website here or the DPH’s website here.

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SWANSEA — Acting Town Administrator James Purcell confirmed today that the Town of Swansea has been notified by Massachusetts Department of Public Health officials of a second confirmed case of COVID-19 in Swansea.

There are currently two positive COVID-19 cases in Swansea. The first positive case was announced on Sunday, March 22.

The Town of Swansea has received notification from the Massachusetts Department of Public Health. All appropriate notifications have been made to potential close contacts with this patient, in accordance with established protocol, and all close contacts have been notified that they need to quarantine.

Both residents are currently isolated in their respective homes where they are recovering.

Swansea Board of Health officials will continue to closely monitor the situation. In order to protect the resident’s medical privacy rights, no additional information will be disclosed.

Board of Selectmen Chairman Steve Kitchin and Town Administrator Purcell stress that this remains a very fluid and rapidly evolving situation.

All residents are urged to continue to practice social distancing and appropriate personal hygiene.

Families should practice social distancing with their children and follow these guidelines from state and local health officials:

• Families should not hold “play dates” and those in need of childcare should limit the number of families involved as much as possible.
• Practice social distancing techniques with children and have them practice among themselves
• Clean and sanitize toys, video game controllers and all touch surfaces regularly

Teens are included in this group, and activities like bike riding and hiking/walking are viewed as safer alternatives to gathering indoors.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) offers the following guidance for how COVID-19 spreads:

Person-to-person spread

• The virus is thought to spread mainly from person-to-person.
  • Between people who are in close contact with one another (within about 6 feet).
  • Through respiratory droplets produced when an infected person coughs or sneezes.
• These droplets can land in the mouths or noses of people who are nearby or possibly be inhaled into the lungs.

Can someone spread the virus without being sick?

• People are thought to be most contagious when they are most symptomatic (the sickest).
• Some spread might be possible before people show symptoms; there have been reports of this occurring with this new coronavirus, but this is not thought to be the main way the virus spreads.

Spread from contact with contaminated surfaces or objects:

It may be possible that a person can get COVID-19 by touching a surface or object that has the virus on it and then touching their own mouth, nose, or possibly their eyes, but this is not thought to be the main way the virus spreads. As a precaution, it is recommended that residents clean things that are frequently touched (like doorknobs and countertops) with household cleaning spray or wipes.

The state has set up the phone number 211 to answer questions that residents may have concerning COVID-19.

For more information, visit CDC’s website here or the DPH’s website here. Additional information regarding the Town of Swansea’s response to COVID-19 can be found on the Town’s website:  www.town.swansea.ma.us.

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