Monroe County has recorded its first death from the novel coronavirus. The victim was a 54-year-old employee of Rochester General Hospital.
According to 13 WHAM, his family identified him as Alvin Simmons, a veteran who worked on the hospital custodial staff.
The hospital says he was hospitalized on March 14th with fever and acute . respiratory symptoms, and tested positive for COVID-19. He was the hospital’s first coronavirus patient and it’s unknown where he got the virus. He suffered from underlying health problems including hypertension, liver disease and tobacco use.
Some employees of the hospital are on quarantine, but the hospital won’t say how many to protect staff privacy.
Meanwhile, the hospital’s drive-through coronavirus testing center is operating . People are tested based on whether they have symptoms and under strict state and federal guidelines.