COVID-19

Health department warns of potential COVID-19 exposure at Phil’s Restaurant in Wading River

Patrons of Phil’s Restaurant in Wading River may have been exposed to COVID-19 on Nov. 20-21 and Nov. 23-24, Suffolk health officials said Wednesday afternoon.

It’s one of two restaurants mentioned in an advisory from the Department of Health. The other restaurant is Senor Taco Mexican Grill & Bar located at 1028 Route 25A in Mount Sinai. The exposure dates at that restaurant are Nov. 20 or 24.

“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,” the health advisory said.

Those who were potentially exposed should monitor themselves for symptoms for 14 days after visiting the restaurant. Health officials also encourage any potentially exposed person to be tested for COVID-19.

Suffolk County Executive Steve Bellone said the county’s positive test rate is above 5% for the second day in a row, “an alarming number we have not seen since the spring.”

He said there were 966 new cases.

“We are beginning to see the first signs of the post-Thanksgiving holiday surge we had warned about,” he said.

He said it’s important to follow the common sense measures that officials have continually preached of social distancing and wearing masks.

“While a vaccine is on the horizon, our actions these next 30-plus days will be critical to our continued recovery,” he said.