The Onondaga County Health Department has confirmed that two individuals who attended the “Rye Day” party held on June 20, 2020 have tested positive for COVID-19. Hundreds of people gathered for the party that took place from 4:00 to 9:00 pm on Saturday, June 20 in the Near Westside neighborhood at Performance Park near Wyoming and Marcellus Streets.
Health Department investigators are in the process of identifying all close contacts of the individuals and notifying them. Those who attended the party may have been exposed and should monitor themselves for symptoms of COVID-19 until Saturday, July 4. If symptoms do develop, stay home and call your doctor for further guidance. If you are elderly, have underlying medical conditions, or are immunocompromised, call your doctor early even if your illness is mild. In an emergency call 911.
Central New York was in the middle of Phase Three of reopening the weekend of the “Rye Day” party, when gatherings of only up to 25 people were allowed.
Onondaga County Commissioner of Health Dr. Indu Gupta urges our community to take steps to prevent another surge that would undo the efforts made so far in the fight against COVID-19. “Onondaga County residents as a whole have done an incredible job helping to slow the spread of COVID-19 in our community. Our individual actions have flattened the curve in Central New York, but the virus is still with us, and now is not the time to be complacent. We need to remain diligent by continuing to wash our hands, cover coughs and sneezes, stay home when sick, social distance, and wear a face covering in public. This responsibility doesn’t fall on a few–it is the job of everyone in order to recover from this as a community.”
Our region is now in Phase Four, which allows gatherings of up to 50 people, however, organizers should continue to assess whether to postpone, cancel, or significantly reduce the number of attendees for gatherings. The more people an individual interacts with at a gathering and the longer that interaction lasts, the higher the potential risk of spreading COVID-19. Those who attend gatherings must continue to follow social distancing, face covering, and handwashing guidelines to limit the risk of spreading the virus that has caused well over 2,700 cases and close to 200 deaths in Onondaga County. Without proper precautions, mass gatherings can be a recipe for disaster, especially for the more than 14% of cases who require hospitalizations and 5% who die of the illness.
Dr. Gupta strongly advises that “even though our region is in Phase Four of reopening, it is still important to use your best judgment—now may not be the best time to host a party or other gathering. If you do decide to visit with friends or family members you’ve been separated from, keep gatherings as small as possible and try to stay away from those who may be at high risk for severe COVID-19 disease, such as the elderly and those who are immunocompromised or have underlying medical conditions such as obesity, high blood pressure, or diabetes.”
Information and guidance related to COVID-19 changes daily. We are continually updating our website, covid19.ongov.net to provide easy access to accurate and timely local information. Also regularly visit the New York State Department of Health (NYSDOH) and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) websites for statewide and national news about COVID-19.