Department of Public Health

Monroe County, New York

Adam J. Bello Michael D. Mendoza, MD, MPH, MS

County Executive Commissioner of Public Health

April 21, 2020

Howard Zucker, M.D., Commissioner

New York State Department of Health
Corning Tower
Empire State Plaza
Albany, NY 12237

Dear Commissioner Zucker:

As you are aware, the COVID-19 pandemic has had a devastating impact on families and communities
throughout New York State, particularly our senior residents and those living in nursing homes. I am
writing today to ask for New York State Department of Health’s (NYSDOH) assistance with one such
facility located in Monroe County.

An April 20, 2020 article in the Rochester Democrat and Chronicle titled, “At least 7 people died of
COVID-19 at The Hurlbut, but its owners and county are silent”, details several known COVID-19 related
deaths within the Hurlbut Nursing and Rehabilitation facility located at 1177 East Henrietta Rd,
Rochester, NY 14623. This investigative report is particularly troubling to me because it does not match
the report of nursing home deaths by facility that NYSDOH released last week.

As a result, I am asking NYSDOH to conduct an investigation into the Hurlbut facility and the accuracy of
their reporting of COVID-19 cases and deaths within this severely hit nursing home. The outbreak of this
virus has prohibited family and loved ones from visiting our most vulnerable during this time of crisis,
causing an unbearable stress on everyone involved. I do not believe that this perceived misinformation
by the Hurlbut is the proper message we should be sending to the residents of our community at this
time.

I want to thank you and Governor Cuomo for your continued leadership during these unprecedented
times and for your transparency in reporting this sensitive information to the public. Please do not
hesitate to contact me directly should you wish to discuss this request further. I thank you for your
attention to this matter and for any assistance you can provide at this time.

Sincerely,

Michael Mendoza, MD, MPH, MS

Commissioner of Public Health

111 Westfall Road • Room 950 • Rochester, New York 14620

(585) 753-2991 • fax: (585) 753-5115 • www.monroecounty.gov • e-mail: mchealth@monroecounty.gov