Healthcare workers stand outside the Family Health Service COVID-19 testing...

Healthcare workers stand outside the Family Health Service COVID-19 testing tent on Monday in Hempstead. Credit: Howard Schnapp

Newsday is providing all readers with access to this breaking news blog on important developments about the coronavirus and our community.

What's happening:

Monday evening updates

Watch our daily coronavirus wrap-up video:

According to the state dashboard, Long Island meets five of the seven benchmarks needed to begin Phase One of the reopening process. While life here remains on pause, Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo pushed to bring back professional sports. Here’s the latest in Monday's coronavirus wrap-up video. Credit: Newsday staff; Facebook / Governor Andrew Cuomo; File footage

Monday afternoon updates

Suffolk gets $26.6 million for bus system

The Federal Transit Administration said Monday it has awarded $26.6 million in COVID-19 relief funding to Suffolk to offset the financial impact on the county's public bus system.

Like other public transportation operators in the region, Suffolk County Transit has seen steep declines in ridership because of the coronavirus. To protect bus drivers, Suffolk County Transit is having riders board from the rear, which also has affected fare collection.

Meanwhile, the Metropolitan Transportation Authority on Monday ramped up efforts to test employees for COVID-19 antibodies. MTA employees can receive the tests, at no cost to them, at Northwell Health-Go Health urgent care facilities. That's in addition to ongoing testing at several MTA employee facilities. Some 7,800 employees already have been tested for COVID-19 antibodies, including Long Island Rail Road workers.

MTA chairman Patrick Foye called the tests "a critical tool for providing important health information to our employees and helping workers safely return to work in large numbers."

At least 118 MTA employees have died from the coronavirus, according to the agency. — ALFONSO CASTILLO

Bellone: COVID-19 deaths on the decline

Suffolk County Executive Steve Bellone said the number of people who died of the coronavirus in the last 24 hours is the lowest seen "in a long, long time."

Bellone said six people had died of the virus. While he acknowledged each death meant a grieving family, he said the overall decline in that number is positive.

He said 47 people were discharged from Suffolk hospitals in the last day.

As for testing, he said 38,224 people in the county have now tested positive for the virus, excluding those who took antibody tests.

He said 107 county residents tested positive in the last 24 hours.

Bellone said 2.3 million meals that would have gone to needy schoolchildren were distributed in the county while schools were closed due to the virus.

He credited local superintendents for "Making sure those in needs are getting the meals." — NEWSDAY STAFF

Watch Suffolk County Executive Steve Bellone's update:

Watch Nassau County Executive Laura Curran's press briefing:

State to send 320,000 test kits to nursing homes this week

Saying protecting nursing homes and its residents is a top priority, Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo said Monday the state is sending 320,000 test kits to nursing homes statewide this week.

Cuomo said the state is sending kits to nursing homes to help the facilities meet the requirement set by the state last week to ensure every staff member is tested twice a week. "I know nursing home operators are not happy about the requirements because it's very hard to do this and I understand no other state is requiring staff be tested twice a week … but I also know it is necessary." To help nursing homes meet this requirement, Cuomo said, New York State is connecting facilities with labs that have reserved at least 35,000 tests per day just for this purpose.

Cuomo also said he tested negative from the COVID-19 exam he took on Sunday, and encouraged everyone who exhibits any symptoms of the COVID virus get a test. — NEWSDAY STAFF

Cuomo: Western NY set to reopen Tuesday

Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo said at his daily news briefing Monday that another New York region is set to reopen.

Speaking from the Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center in Buffalo, Cuomo, who disclosed he tested negative from the COVID-19 exam he took on Sunday, said Western New York, the region around Buffalo, which had required a "tracing army" of 521 tracers has now identified 525 tracers. The governor said tracers are being trained Monday in preparation for the region to start reopening Tuesday.

The region around Albany only needs more contact tracers, one of the seven health-related benchmarks needed before it can enter Phase 1, the governor said.

Cuomo said the number of new COVID-19 deaths in the state on Sunday was 106, down from 139 deaths on Saturday. — NEWSDAY STAFF

Monday morning updates

Watch Gov. Andrew Cuomo's press briefing:

De Blasio: NYC to install fences to limit access to city beaches during holiday weekend

Officials are preparing to install fencing to limit access to city beaches over Memorial Day, New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio said Monday, a day after he announced the beaches will be closed during the holiday weekend.

The mayor did not address fears expressed by Nassau and Suffolk officials who are concerned that crowds of New York residents will flock to Long Island beaches, but he said the city will only put up fencing and issue citations if visitors to Coney Island, Rockaway Beach and other popular summer destinations ignore social distancing restrictions.

"If you want to walk on the beach, fine, enjoy that, but no swimming, no lifeguards, no parties, no barbecues, no sports," de Blasio said. "It is just open space that you can walk on, take it in and then get back home."

Long Island elected leaders expressed fears Sunday about a wave of people flooding Nassau and Suffolk beaches that will open in time for the holiday weekend. — MICHAEL O'KEEFFE

Despite blip, Northwell Health continues to see drop in COVID-19 patients

Northwell Health on Monday said it had 909 COVID-19 patients at its hospitals, a drop of 16% from the same period a week ago.

Northwell, however, said the patient count rose by four patients from Sunday, ending a streak of more than 20 days of decreases.

"From April 20 until now, it's been down every day, so this is probably just a blip, although it's worth noting" said Terry Lynam, a spokesman at Northwell. "On April 20th, it was a similar, small, increase, and then it just kept going down. It's all relative, because these numbers are much lower now."

For example, Lynam said Northwell had 296 discharges and 58 deaths on April 21. On Sunday, it had 41 discharges and 11 deaths.

"The discharge and death numbers are much lower, so I take it as a positive sign," Lynam said.

Northwell's COVID-19 patient count has fallen 73% from its high point in the first half of April. 

Northwell added that 27% of its patients are in ICU. That's down from what has been consistently in the 30% range last month.

Northwell said it had 633 COVID-19 patients at Long Island facilities, down 15% from last Monday. — DAVID REICH-HALE

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