Cuomo: Nonessential state workers from Rockland, south should stay home
Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo speaks Sunday in Albany. Credit: Office of the Governor
Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo at a news conference Sunday instructed all nonessential state government personnel from Rockland County and areas south — the region with the highest density of coronavirus cases — to stay home.
He also urged all private businesses to “aggressively” consider closings and reductions in their workforces to help fight the spread of the virus. He said he could make closings mandatory if businesses don’t respond.
Sunday night the office of New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio issued a statement saying de Blasio will sign an executive order Monday to indefinitely restrict restaurants, cafes, bars and other eateries in city to takeout and delivery, and to close all nightclubs, movie theaters, small theater houses, and concert venues.
The order takes effect Tuesday at 9 a.m.
In a statement issued earlier Sunday, suggesting the industry had learned early about the mayor's plans, the NYC Hospitality Alliance said: "In the coming days, New York City's restaurants will be forced to go deliver-only and risk their very existence to help stem the spread of this pandemic. Third-party delivery platforms now must reciprocate and immediately waive or cap fees at 10%, or many of these restaurants will close for good before the week is through."
As of Sunday, there were 729 confirmed coronavirus cases across New York State, up from 613 Saturday, according to Cuomo.
Also on Sunday, the death toll in the state from the virus stood at six people — five in New York City and one in Rockland, city and state officials said.
De Blasio during a separate news conference Sunday said the city had 25 confirmed cases this past Monday and 269 as of Sunday, “and that number’s gonna grow today.”
The state said later Sunday that there were 329 cases in the city.
On Saturday, New York’s first two coronavirus-related deaths were confirmed: an 82-year-old woman who died in a Brooklyn hospital and a 64-year-old man who died in Rockland County.
Cuomo said the Brooklyn woman had been “long suffering with emphysema.” In a statement, Rockland County Chief Medical Examiner Dr. Laura Carbone said the man, who died in Suffern, “had other significant health problems which were likely contributory to death.”
On Sunday, Cuomo said the virus had claimed a 79-year-old woman with multiple underlying health issues who died at a New York City hospital. He did not provide her hometown.
Commenting on the number of positive coronavirus tests reported, Cuomo said that figure is a function of the number of tests conducted.
“The more tests we take, the more that number will go up. Nobody believes there are only 500 cases of coronavirus in New York today,” he said.
There have been about 4,700 people tested in New York, Cuomo said, and the state hopes to ramp up to 6,000 tests a day following federal approval Friday for the state to authorize 28 private labs to do testing.
MTA Chairman and CEO Patrick J. Foye issued a statement Sunday that said a Long Island Rail Road employee has tested positive for COVID-19. He said the sheet metal worker last worked March 7 and did not work onboard trains or interact with riders.
“The employee is in quarantine receiving appropriate care and the MTA has disinfected his workplace multiple times and is monitoring the situation closely, “ Foye said, adding, “As we have for weeks, the MTA is aggressively disinfecting our workplaces, trains, stations and buses around the clock to keep our employees and customers as safe as possible.”
As ridership on the subways has gone down during the outbreak, daily cycling trips across the East River bridges have more than doubled since early March, according to the New York City Department of Transportation. De Blasio has urged New Yorkers to bike or walk where possible to avoid crowding mass transit.
The bike share Citi Bike has instituted a program that starts Monday to disinfect “common contact points” of the bikes, including handlebars, brakes, bells and seats, according Citi Bike spokeswoman Dana Davis. She did not say how often each bike would be disinfected.
Matthew Chayes, a Newsday reporter since 2007, covers New York City.
Sarra Sounds Off Ep 36: Champs crowned in lax and flag football On the latest episode of "Sarra Sounds Off," Gregg talks with Michael Sicoli and Tess Ferguson about county champs crowned in boys and girls lacrosse, and Jared Valuzzi reports on the Long Island flag football championship.
Sarra Sounds Off Ep 36: Champs crowned in lax and flag football On the latest episode of "Sarra Sounds Off," Gregg talks with Michael Sicoli and Tess Ferguson about county champs crowned in boys and girls lacrosse, and Jared Valuzzi reports on the Long Island flag football championship.
