Middleborough announces first case of COVID-19

MIDDLEBOROUGH — Town Manager Robert Nunes and Health Officer Robert Buker today confirmed that the Town of Middleborough has been notified by Massachusetts Department of Public Health officials of one confirmed case of COVID-19 in Middleborough.

The patient has been isolated and is being supported and monitored according to public health guidelines. Under State and Federal privacy laws no further information is available about the individual.

“This is our community’s first confirmed COVID-19 case and we want to keep residents as informed as possible when it comes to the coronavirus situation in town,” Town Manager Nunes said. “We encourage everyone to follow the latest guidelines and to continue to practice social distancing.”

Town Manager Nunes stresses that this remains a very fluid and rapidly evolving situation. It is important to understand that the Middleborough Health Department will only be officially notified of positive individuals who are residents of Middleborough. Although the process is improving rapidly, it can take anywhere from 36 hours to several days to receive the results of a test performed by a lab, hospital or doctor’s office. Those results are submitted to the Department of Public Health; positive results on any Middleborough residents are then provided to the Middleborough Health Department. The Health Department will then remain in contact with the individual throughout their illness.