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Overcast Seven New Yorkers die of coronavirus: governor
Number of confirmed cases stands at more than 100 in Nassau
Three people have died in New York because of coronavirus, according to Gov. Andrew Cuomo. Statewide, more than 950 people have contracted the illness.
Nassau County Executive Laura Curran said that all schools will be closed for two weeks beginning on March 16, as the number of confirmed coronavirus cases rose to more than 100 in Nassau.
Nearly 350 people across Long Island under mandatory quarantine. Curran said the quarantining is not about spreading fear, but about ensuring the virus does not spread.
On Friday, Curran suspended eviction notices "effectively immediately," until further notice. "It would be both wrong and dangerous to kick people out of their homes during this public health emergency," the county executive tweeted.
On Twitter, she further noted, "As residents choose to stay home during the coronavirus outbreak, our small retailers and restaurants are suffering. We must support our many local businesses who employ our friends, neighbors and families and keep our communities strong."
She suggested people purchase gift cards to their "favorite" local shops and eateries "as a promise" to return when the outbreak has ended.
Also on Friday, Hofstra University "notified the community by email that all classes will shift to online instruction" starting March 23, The Hofstra Chronicle, the student newspaper, reported Friday. The university will be on spring break March 16-20. During that time, professors are taking online tutorials to train in distance learning.
Earlier in the week, Curran posted county Department of Health guidelines on Twitter: Elderly residents and those with respiratory conditions should not attend large public gatherings, and people feeling sick should not visit the elderly and those with respiratory conditions.
Nassau’s first confirmed case of coronavirus was a 42-year-old man who works at Mercy Medical Center in Rockville Centre, according to Uniondale School District and Mercy officials.
Uniondale Superintendent Dr. William Lloyd said in a statement on Friday, “The district has been in close contact with Nassau County and New York state health officials, and we have been told that at the current time, there is no reason to take any additional precautionary or preventive measures than those we already have in place.”
Authorities said the man is a part-time employee at Mercy, and they were reviewing with whom he came in contact. Officials said they were unsure how he contracted the illness, but he had not been to work at the hospital for a week.
He was being treated at NYU Winthrop Hospital in Mineola, officials said. Cuomo said on March 5, “His condition keeps improving.”
In a statement to the Herald, Mercy Medical Center said the New York State Department of Health notified the hospital of the case on March 3. The man last worked an eight-hour shift at Mercy toward the end of February when he was not exhibiting symptoms, the statement said.
Mercy’s infection prevention specialists were conducting a contact investigation with people the man may have been in contact with, according to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines, Mercy officials said. They also noted that Catholic Health Services, which Mercy falls under, is “prepared to diagnose and treat patients showing symptoms of COVID-19 while also taking the necessary steps to prevent the spread of the disease.”
“The health system is prepared, and prevention and control protocols are in place to appropriately isolate patients who enter its facilities to prevent the potential transmission of infection,” said Patrick O’Shaughnessy, CHS’s executive vice president and chief clinical officer. “All CHS clinical personnel are educated on the latest CDC and New York State Department of Health coronavirus guidelines and recommendations.
Dr. Lawrence Eisenstein, the Nassau County health commissioner, said on Friday, “We’re doing a case-contact investigation, which is what our disease investigators do.
“We’re going to interview them and their family and identify whoever they’ve been in contact with and make recommendations based on exposure or not exposure,” he continued.
“We want people to be calm,” Eisenstein said. “We want people to go about their usual business. It is cold and flu season without the presence of coronavirus, and it’s a respiratory virus. What works for cold and flu prevention also works for coronavirus prevention.”
Most important, people should thoroughly wash their hands — up to 20 seconds — and limit physical contact such as handshaking and hugging.
And, Nassau County Police Commissioner Patrick Ryder said, “If you’re sick, stay home.”
“We’re taking every step necessary to keep our residents healthy and safe,” Curran tweeted.
She added, “Reminder: If you’re sick, call your healthcare provider before visiting. They’ll direct you on next steps.”
