COVID-19 Updates: New York and Beyond

by JV Web editor

Summary of Cuomo press conference: (for video scroll down ) 

• Cuomo opened his remarks by noting today is National Doctors Day and thanking the medical professionals who are putting themselves in harm’s way to treat patients. Cuomo is speaking from the Javits Center in New York City, which has been converted into a hospital and will begin receiving patients today.
• “What’s happening in New York is not an anomaly” He hopes New York can share lessons about this new virus that will be instructive to other states as they combat the pandemic.
• “No American is immune to this virus,” Cuomo said. “I don’t care if you live in Kansas. I don’t care if you live in Texas.”
• “If you leave the house, you are exposing yourself to danger. If you leave the house you are exposing others to danger,” Cuomo said. “I know staying at home can be boring or oppressive but it’s better than the alternative.
• New York now has 66,497 cases of coronavirus, New York Governor Andrew Cuomo said at his press conference.
• The virus has now claimed 1,218 lives in the state, up from 965 deaths a day earlier, Cuomo told reporters This is an increase of 253 deaths since yesterday. The peak is 6 weeks away or more.
• “We’ve lost over 1,000 New Yorkers,” Cuomo said. “To me, we are beyond staggering already.

New York Notes: 

• Congresswoman Nydia Velazquez said she has been diagnosed with presumed coronavirusand is self-isolating at home, Guardian reported
• New York City has reported its first death of a child to COVID-19, one of hundreds new state fatalities overnight Monday, officials said. The age of the minor wasn’t released, but the victim did have an underlying condition, NBC reported.
• Amazon workers have walked out at the company’s Staten Island, New York warehouse, demanding increased protective gear and hazard pay as they work through the coronavirus pandemic, CNBS reported

Coronavirus Updates beyond New York

• Dr Deborah Birx predicted up to 200,000 Americans would die of coronavirus if the country responded “almost perfectly.” But the White House coronavirus response coordinator warned that some Americans do not appear to be taking social distancing guidelines seriously, which could increase the number of fatalities.
• Virginia Governor Ralph Northamhas issued a statewide “stay at home” order as the Washington metropolitan area sees a surge of coronavirus cases. The order goes into effect today and “shall remain in full force and in effect until June 10, 2020, unless amended or rescinded by further executive order.” Northam’s announcement comes just hours after Maryland Governor Larry Hogan issued a similar statewide order, warning the region could be in the next round of coronavirus hot spots
• California Governor Gavin Newsom said at a press conference moments ago that the number of Covid-19 hospitalizations in the state had doubled over the past four days.The number of ICU patients tripled during that time, Reuters writes.
• A Florida sheriff today sought an arrest warrant for the pastor of a megachurch after officials said he held two services with hundreds of people and violated a safer-at-home order put in place to limit the spread of the coronavirus.

Globally

• 4,695 Israelis have so far tested positive for the coronavirus, with the vast majority of cases mild and 161 recoveries. 16 patients have died and 79 are in serious condition. One Israeli tourist died in Italy.
• Iraeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu tested negative for the coronavirus on Monday after a parliamentary aide was confirmed to be carrying the virus, though the 70-year-old leader would remain in isolation, a spokesman said.

  Spokesman Ofir Gendelman said on Twitter that Netanyahu, his family and staff all tested negative, but “he will remain quarantined until further instructions are issued by the Ministry of Health”.

• Italy’s rates of new coronavirus cases and ICU admissions appear to be on the decline, providing some much-needed good news to the country that has been most devastated by the pandemic, however the death toll from the coronavirus pandemic in Italy rose by 812 to 11,591, while the total number of infections surged past 100,000 with 4,050 new cases reported.
• More than 800 people died in Spain over the last 24 hours – reaching 7,340 – while  Iran’s deaths went up by 117 to 2,757.