Where coronavirus cases persist

Lynbrook resident Lauren Franklin holds a basket of face masks that she...

Lynbrook resident Lauren Franklin holds a basket of face masks that she and her organization, Moms Making Masks, made for the Freeport Police Department. Credit: Newsday / J. Conrad Williams Jr.

Nassau and Suffolk residents accounted for 18% of patients admitted to hospitals in a period of three days in a study to determine why more cases continue to surface despite strict measures to shut down nonessential parts of the economy and close schools.

New York City boroughs ranged from a low of 1% of new patients in Staten Island to 21% in Manhattan. 

Cuomo said the new information from the study of 1,000 cases indicates that residents need to do their part to prevent their exposure. The last three days have seen new admissions of 600 to 700 people.

The initial findings were surprising, Cuomo said, in that new patients are by and large not working and being infected while a stay-at-home campaign is in place. 

“It reinforces … [that] much of this comes down to how you protect yourself," Cuomo said. "Are you wearing the mask, are you using hand sanitizer?" And to younger people: "Are you staying away from older people" to prevent their exposure.

Still, the state's cautious approach to reopening is working to bring a decline of infections and hospitalizations over time, Cuomo said, while other parts of the country are expected to see an escalation of the crisis.

The numbers as of May 5* : 37,152 confirmed cases in Nassau, 35,275 in Suffolk, 176,874 in New York City and 321,192 statewide.

*As of 3 p.m., the state had not released updated figures today.

The chart below shows daily case totals for Nassau and Suffolk.

The lines illustrate the cumulative number of confirmed coronavirus cases,...

The lines illustrate the cumulative number of confirmed coronavirus cases, plus the trajectory of the pandemic. The steeper the line, the faster confirmed cases have risen.

See which Long Island communities have the highest concentrations of cases and view charts showing the latest local trends in testing, hospitalizations, deaths and more.

'It's pretty much like a ghost town'

There was very little activity on Front Street in Greenport...

There was very little activity on Front Street in Greenport on April 7. Credit: Randee Daddona

Johnnie Miranti, the owner of Johnnie’s Car Wash on Oak in Copiague, had to lay off his entire staff. 

“It was devastating,” he said.

In Freeport, the Imperial Diner's revenue has dropped by two-thirds as it deals exclusively in takeout and soon delivery.

“I’ve been through hurricanes … blizzards … recessions, but nothing like this," says owner Billy Moustakas.

And in Greenport, which typically sees its population swell to three times its year-round size in warmer months, businesses are reckoning with the prospect of a serious drop in revenue, Mayor George Hubbard said.

“Now it’s pretty much like a ghost town," he said, and "if everybody comes back at half strength, then half our workforce has nowhere to work."

Read what else business owners and local leaders in these communities said about their fight to survive COVID-19, and see how the downtowns in Baldwin, Farmingdale and East Hampton are faring too.

Social distancing bringing people together

Rowen Potter, 5, delivers pizzas to his neighbor, Maria Starace, in...

Rowen Potter, 5, delivers pizzas to his neighbor, Maria Starace, in Sea Cliff. Credit: Kendall Rodriguez

Every Friday night since Long Island’s shutdown began, four sets of neighbors on Cromwell Place in Sea Cliff have emerged onto their porches for a social-distancing happy hour topped off by pizzas made by Jay Potter, a furloughed chef, and delivered by his two sons.

This “new normal” has "definitely brought us a lot closer,” says one neighbor, Matt Barrett.

A silver lining to the dark cloud of social distancing has been the strengthening or renewal of bonds between neighbors, friends and even distant family members.

“I find I’m more connected now than I was before the lockdown, because I was always working, and I was tired,” says Holly Silva of Copiague, "I’m opening up more. We’re talking about things you wouldn’t normally talk about, like your fears.”

See the various ways locals are coming together while staying at least six feet apart.

Teen raises $4,150 — in coins

Nomaan "Nomi" Bilal, 14, raised more than $4,000 by collecting...

Nomaan "Nomi" Bilal, 14, raised more than $4,000 by collecting change throughout his community. Credit: Nadia Pervez

The phrase “take a penny, leave a penny” may not have been coined by 14-year-old Nomaan "Nomi" Bilal, but he’s taken it to a whole new level. 

While hanging around his home in Dix Hills and finishing up his first year of high school online, Bilal started collecting loose change he found.

“I counted it and I got a total of $250,” he said. “And I realized that I could help with it.”

Through Facebook, Bilal and his mother got the word out that he was collecting coins, and soon enough plenty of people were stopping by to drop off bags of change.

Bilal raised a total of $4,150, which he donated to local organizations that used it to purchase and deliver gift cards for about 20 families (and counting) in need.

More to know

An MTA worker cleans a subway car at the Coney Island...

An MTA worker cleans a subway car at the Coney Island station in Brooklyn early Wednesday morning.  Credit: AFP via Getty Images / Corey Sipkin

The MTA, as part of its unprecedented cleaning and disinfecting effort, is testing products that could protect trains, including those on the LIRR, against COVID-19 for months at a time, officials said.

East Islip and Shelter Island have joined a growing list of school districts criticized by state auditors for amassing cash reserves beyond what's legally allowed, but stockpiled school funds have taken on added significance as the state decides whether to cut aid due to tax-revenue losses triggered by the pandemic.

The LIRR's $2.6 billion Third Track expansion remains on schedule and within budget, officials said, as they grapple with trying to protect the project's 500 workers during the coronavirus crisis.

The White House COVID-19 task force will not be dismantled but instead will shift its focus to rebooting the economy, President Donald Trump said one day after stating that it would be winding down.

Billy Joel has pushed three more shows of his monthly Madison Square Garden residency into later this year and early next after previously rescheduling three spring concerts to September, October and November.

The NFL continues to plan for a full season with fans in attendance at all stadiums, but in the event the pandemic limits the number of games played and/or fans being able to attend, the league has formulated a ticket refund policy.

News for you

Comedian Jackie "The Joke Man" Martling of Bayville does videos...

Comedian Jackie "The Joke Man" Martling of Bayville does videos for Cameo. Credit: Jackie Martling

Say it with a celeb. Shopping for a present during a pandemic can be a difficult task, but one unique gift you can deliver from a safe distance is a custom video greeting from a celebrity. Here are a dozen famous Long Islanders who can be hired for the task. Some athletes and sports announcers are on the roster too.

A feast for Mom. Mother’s Day is bringing a creative new wave of pickup and delivery options to Long Island's to-go restaurant scene. Whether you're looking for a family-style deal on brunch or dinner, or want to splurge on a fancy meal, check out these options.

Answers about contract tracing. You've probably heard the phrase "contract tracing." Learn what it is, how it works and why it's important to containing the spread of coronavirus.

Go bar hopping. What started as a novelty a few weeks ago is now becoming a trend. Virtual bar crawls and happy hours are now being held in more local communities as businesses look for creative ways to stay afloat and Long Islanders long for a night out with some adult drinks. Find one near you.

Get their hands dirty. We know your kids are going stir crazy. One productive way to channel that energy while enjoying some fresh air is gardening. Follow these expert tips and recommendations for plants that are fun and easy for young people to grow.

Plus: Join us tomorrow at 10 a.m. for our latest free health webinar, which will include a discussion on contact tracing, blood plasma trials, antibody tests and more with Dr. Elliott Bennett-Guerrero and Dr. Bettina Fries, of Stony Brook Medicine. Register now to save your spot.

Get real-time updates about the virus' impact on the Island by visiting our live blog and watch our latest daily wrap-up video, which looks at why Long Island has not yet met the criteria to reopen.

Commentary

Joseph Saint-Louis, a 76-year-old resident of Brockton, Mass., is being...

Joseph Saint-Louis, a 76-year-old resident of Brockton, Mass., is being treated for COVID-19. Credit: Coralie Saint-Louis

My dad did everything to avoid COVID-19. Nothing worked. Wednesday makes it 11 days since my father was rushed to Signature Healthcare Brockton Hospital in Massachusetts, Coralie Saint-Louis writes in her latest Newsday Opinion column

On Monday, my sister Angie called the hospital to check on him only to find out that our father had been intubated after having a heart attack from COVID-19-related complications. It was one of several calls made to the hospital since he was admitted, and one of many being made in Massachusetts, where the state has more than 68,000 COVID-19 cases.

More than a week ago, my sister Sorraya called an ambulance after she found him confused at our home in Brockton. His words were slurred, his manner disoriented. He thought he was still at my brother Ronald’s home in Uniondale. When the ambulance arrived, his blood sugar was above 480, his fever blew 100. COVID-19 protocols did not allow family to accompany him to the hospital.

On Long Island, the news of his illness flattened the rest of the family like a bulldozer. 

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