Orange County officials have confirmed seven positive COVID-19 cases at the Highway Department in Blooming Grove.

The number of cases is half of the department's staff.

Blooming Grove Supervisor Robert Gerolomon says a Highway Department employee tested positive for COVID-19 late last month and within days, so did six other employees who were in direct contact with the person.

Gerolomon says workers from another department are now filling in.

He says altogether more than two dozen town employees have been tested, and that town buildings and vehicles have been sanitized.

Orange County data shows 1,100 new COVID-19 cases and five virus-related deaths in the last two weeks.

Among students, off-campus Halloween parties are to blame for dozens of new infections in Pine Bush, Washingtonville, Newburgh and Monroe-Woodbury.

Orange County has since banned visitors from nursing homes and is requiring residents – at both nursing homes and assisted living facilities - to quarantine if they leave for any reason.

Blooming Grove officials say their experience in town is a reminder of how quickly this virus can spread.

They say the infected workers will not return until they test negative and are undergoing repeat tests.