NEW YORK (WCBS 880) — Suffolk County health officials have issued a warning about possible COVID-19 exposure at two restaurants.
Anyone who visited Señor Taco Mexican Grill & Bar, located at 1028 Route 25A in Mount Sinai, on November 20 or 24 and Phil's Restaurant, located at 1856 Wading River Manor Road in Wading River, on November 20, 21, 23 or 24 may have been exposed to to the virus.
"This information is being shared with the public immediately upon discovery through intensive case investigation that more than one person connected with each of these venues has contracted the virus," an advisory from the county read.
Those who were potentially exposed should monitor themselves for symptoms for 14 days after visiting the restaurant and are also encouraged to take a COVID-19 test.
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Symptoms of COVID-19 include fever, cough, shortness of breath or difficulty breathing, fatigue, muscle or body aches, headache, new loss of taste or smell, sore throat, congestion or runny nose, nausea or vomiting, or diarrhea.
The news comes after County Executive Steve Bellone said Wednesday that Suffolk's positivity rate was above 5% for the second day in a row.
"With 966 new cases, we are beginning to see the first signs of the post-Thanksgiving holiday surge we had warned about," Bellone said in a statement.
On Thursday, he said the number had grown even more and urged people to take precautions.
"We have not seen numbers like this since last spring, we have not seen a number above 1,000 cases in a day since last April," Bellone said.
He is asking residents to double down on social distancing and mask wearing to beat back the virus.
"While a vaccine is on the horizon, our actions these next 30 plus days will be critical to our continued recovery," Bellone said.
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The Suffolk County executive stressed that the virus most commonly spreads in small gatherings inside homes.
"Just the other day, we had the report of a 21st birthday party and nine of the 10 people tested positive," he said. "So this was within the guidelines, within the limits, but this is exactly the kind of event where we have been seeing the spread and where we have been sounding the alarm on."
In two statements, both restaurants say they value their customers and do everything possible to keep them safe.
Phil's Restaurant says there was a staff member that tested positive and they have done everything to keep the public safe, including working with the health department and closing down on the Nov. 25 and 26.
Senor Taco says they have also been working with the health department and they closed on Nov. 26 to disinfect the business--and that there is not a lot of interaction with staff because most of their business is pick-up or curbside delivery.