Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced today that according to the projections, 16,000 New Yorkers can lose their life due to COVID-19.
Cuomo’s comments came during his daily briefing and as New Yorkers keeps battling with the coronavirus. Currently, the number of patients increased to more than 83,000, making the state the epicenter of the pandemic in the United States. The deaths related to coronavirus rose to 1,941, 400 more from the day before. More than half of the state’s cases are in New York City.
After the previous projections about the necessity for hospital beds, both the federal and state governments took urgent steps. The US Navy’s Comfort ship docked in New York City on March 30. The hospital ship has 1,000 beds and 1,200 personnel. An emergency field hospitals was constructed in Central Park, and the temporary hospital in the Javits Center fully opened on Monday.
Additionally, construction for a 750-bed emergency hospital started at the Brooklyn Cruise Terminal in Red Hook.
New York State’s PAUSE policy is extended through April 15. All the non-essential workforce will keep working from home. “We will re-evaluate every two weeks,” Cuomo tweeted about the PAUSE.
Cuomo also announced that due to the failure of maintaining density control, New York City will close its playgrounds. Open spaces will remain open.
New York also moved its’ presidential and all state primaries and special elections to June 23 to avoid further spread of the coronavirus with people going to crowded ballots to vote.
All religious meetings were suspended in New York due to the coronavirus scares. “I want to thank religious leaders from all faiths who protected their congregations by suspending in-person services,” Mayor Bill de Blasio tweeted.
New York has been getting help from private companies and other organizations during this crisis as well. Regeneron has donated 500,000 test kits to New York, free of charge and the United Nations donated 250,000 surgical masks to New York City.
Cuomo’s brother, Chris Cuomo, also tested positive for the novel coronavirus.
“We are all vulnerable to this virus. I couldn’t protect my little brother. He couldn’t protect himself. And it’s scary. I’m worried about him just as we are all worried about the people we love. I love you, little brother. Stay strong,” Cuomo tweeted about her brother.
