Gov. Andrew Cuomo said today in a press conference that the number of COVID-19 positive patients double every three days in New York, which brings a new estimate that the peak period of coronavirus in New York is 14 to 21 days away.
He also pressed for more federal aid and talked about his plans for the state going forward. The press conference was at the Javits Center, which is being converted into a temporary hospital with 1,000 beds capacity.
Cuomo said that they had projected a need for 100,000 hospital beds for the peak of the virus, however, the new estimate was 140,000.
New York received 400 ventilators from the national stockpile, even though Cuomo has been announcing that the state needs 30,000. He expressed his disappointment with the federal government. “You pick the 26,000 people who are going to die because you only sent 400 ventilators,” Cuomo said.
“The federal government must distribute ventilators based on need. We need them in New York NOW. After New York gets past the apex of this pandemic, I will transport the ventilators myself wherever they are next needed,” he tweeted.
In response to Cuomo, Vice President Mike Pence later announced that the federal government shipped 2,000 more ventilators to New York. Another 2,000 will be shipped on Wednesday.
Cuomo also announced that medical supplies and equipment will be distributed to hospitals across New York City, Long Island and Westchester to help frontline healthcare workers. New York City will receive 169,000 N-95 masks, 430,850 surgical masks, 176,750 gloves, 72,561 gowns and 39,364 face shields.
New York State’s number of coronavirus cases rose to over 25,000, with 14,776 cases in New York City.
Numbers of COVID-19 positive individuals in each borough:
- Queens 4,364
- Brooklyn 4,237
- Manhattan 2,887
- Bronx 2,328
- Staten Island 935
Brooklyn principal dies
Dez-Ann Romain, principal of Brownsville’s Brooklyn Democracy Academy, died at 36 due to coronavirus complications, Chalkbeat reported. Romain’s death was the first reported death of a New York City public school staff member due to the COVID-19 virus.
Two CUNY dormitories to be used as temporary hospitals
When CUNY announced that all the colleges were switching to distance learning on March 19, students were assured that the dormitories would stay open. Hunter College and College of Staten Island informed students that they would have to leave their dorms by the end of this week. Cuomo had already expressed an urgent need in hospital beds, and he had previously stated that SUNY dorms could be used as well.
“@CUNY giving students 2 days to uproot their lives is not responsible,” CUNY’s University Student Senate tweeted. They advocate for alternative housing help for the students and total reimbursement of housing fees.
Tax filing day is moved to July 15
Americans will have an extra three months to file their taxes due to the recent coronavirus outbreak.
“At @realDonaldTrump’s direction, we are moving Tax Day from April 15 to July 15. All taxpayers and businesses will have this additional time to file and make payments without interest or penalties,” tweeted Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin.
