Stony Brook had an early suspected case

Health care technicians speak to patients in their cars at...

Health care technicians speak to patients in their cars at ProHealth in Jericho. Credit: Howard Schnapp

“It is clear that there probably was community spread earlier than we thought all over the world,” said Dr. Adam J. Singer, vice chairman for research of the Department of Emergency Medicine at Stony Brook’s Renaissance School of Medicine.

Long Island had reported its first confirmed case, a 42-year-old Uniondale man, on March 5. Singer said the February case, which he wrote about in the New England Journal of Medicine, involved an unidentified Stony Brook patient with respiratory symptoms who had traveled to China.

Earlier this week, officials in California reported that their first COVID-19 deaths occurred in early February, shifting the timeline of the virus’ silent spread through the population. Other cities are investigating what they believe were earlier outbreaks.

Decision on rest of school year imminent

Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo tours the Northwell Health Core Lab in...

Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo tours the Northwell Health Core Lab in New Hyde Park. Credit: Office of Governor Andrew M. Cuomo/Kevin P. Coughlin/

New York Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo said he would likely decide next week whether to keep schools closed for the remainder of the school year, as he expressed concerns about the resilience of the virus.

The state continued to see progress, with a falling net count of hospitalizations due to coronavirus, but Cuomo said that nearly 1,300 people are still newly hospitalized with COVID-19 every day, and that many New Yorkers continue to contract it.

“The number of new people coming into the hospital, the number of new infections is slightly down," he said. "But that’s basically a flat line, and that is troubling. About 1,200, 1,300 new infections every day.”

The governor cautioned about the continued threat and displayed a graph showing a sharp spike in new infections in the summer if reopening occurs too soon.

The number of positive cases on Long Island has been trending down, as shown in the chart below.

The percentage of people testing positive for the new coronavirus...

The percentage of people testing positive for the new coronavirus on Long Island has fallen in recent weeks, state data shows. Source: New York State Department of Health

You can see more charts and maps tracking cases by community, hospitalizations, testing, deaths and other statistics for Nassau and Suffolk. 

The numbers as of 3 p.m.: 32,765 confirmed cases in Nassau, 30,606 in Suffolk, 150,473 in New York City and 271,590 statewide.

46 deaths at LI veterans home

John Milone, a resident of the Long Island Veterans Home, with...

John Milone, a resident of the Long Island Veterans Home, with his daughter, Kathy Caruso, of East Northport. Credit: Courtesy of Kathy Caruso

Forty-six residents have died of COVID-19 at the Long Island State Veterans Home in Stony Brook, the largest publicly reported death toll at a Long Island nursing facility, where the executive director described the disease as “the most wicked terrorist you could ever face.” 

The management of the 350-bed facility last week sent out an email and flyer to civic groups with an urgent plea that staff needed personal protective equipment.

At the same time, the daughter of one resident complained that the home had failed to isolate infected patients.

“I kept saying, ‘Isolate before it’s too late,’” said Kathy Caruso of East Northport, whose 99-year-old father was a patient at the home until he was moved to Stony Brook Hospital for COVID-19 treatment.

Among New York’s 15,740 coronavirus deaths, 2,902 are from the state’s more than 600 nursing homes, prompting Cuomo, on Thursday, to order an investigation into the rising infection and death rates in these facilities.

Temporary hospitals will sit empty, for now

Drone footage shows progress at Stony Brook University, where a...

Drone footage shows progress at Stony Brook University, where a facility is being built to possibly house COVID-19 patients. Credit: New York District, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers

Construction on the temporary hospitals at SUNY Old Westbury and Stony Brook University is scheduled for completion within the next two days. Yet after more than $250 million in federal money was set aside to build them, they will lie empty — at least for now.

The hospitals, under tents and with a combined 2,024 beds, were part of Cuomo’s plan to more than double the number of beds in the state amid a rapid rise in the number of cases. The state projected that tens of thousands of COVID-19 patients could be without hospital beds.

But the worst-case scenario did not occur, and the number of COVID-19 hospitalizations has begun falling.

"We’re still early on in the fight,” and the Stony Brook hospital could be needed if there is a second wave, despite officials' attempt to prevent one, Suffolk County Executive Steve Bellone said.

New work norms could outlast pandemic

Cushman & Wakefield's 6 Feet Office design aims to keep...

Cushman & Wakefield's 6 Feet Office design aims to keep people apart and includes floor markings as guidelines. Credit: Cushman & Wakefield

When the pandemic ends, some companies will have so many telecommuters that they may reserve offices for essential gatherings. Others may spread their teams across smaller satellites — or redesign spaces to put more distance between workers.

With companies requiring staff members to work from home, staggering shifts and taking other steps to socially distance, the coronavirus has already upended workplace conventions. Human resource specialists and commercial real estate brokers predict shifts like these will outlive the pandemic and shape the Long Island office market in ways that are just beginning to emerge. 

“When the vaccine comes, and the testing comes … and you’re ready to resume what you would have considered your normal operations, I don’t think those normal operations will look the same,” said Janet Lenaghan, dean of the Frank G. Zarb School of Business at Hofstra University.

More to know

A Long Island man was charged with illegally hoarding and price gouging on more than 4 tons of personal protective equipment, according to officials, and became the first in the nation to be charged under the Defense Production Act.

Local animal shelters still have plenty of dogs and cats that need homes despite the initial rush of adoptions during the pandemic that showcased rows of empty cages nationwide.

A village justice who hosted his daughter's wedding on his front lawn with a crowd of 100 onlookers was issued a summons for violating social distancing rules, according to police.

One school district's proposal to consider closing one of its elementary schools has angered some parents, who questioned why officials would consider such a move during a global health crisis.

President Donald Trump is expected to sign a bill providing a nearly $500 billion infusion of coronavirus spending, rushing new relief to employers and hospitals.

The NFL's virtual draft had only one glitch, but it was human, not technical, sports columnist Neil Best writes.

News for you

Coach Meeting House in Oyster Bay has opened a drive-thru spiked...

Coach Meeting House in Oyster Bay has opened a drive-thru spiked slushie bar. Credit: Coach Meeting House

Spiked slushies. This isn't your average drive-thru. One local eatery is serving up pomegranate margaritas, Jack Daniel’s peach tea, frosé and our frozen adult drinks to go through a pull-up window. Just remember, they are not intended to be sipped until you are safely back at home.

Help for pet owners. Whether you own a dog, cat, guinea pig, rabbit or other type of pet, this local man wants to help struggling Long Islanders keep their animals fed during the pandemic.

"Attend" an event. If social distancing has your social calendar looking very bare, why not plan to attend one of these upcoming virtual events

Free nuggets. Wendy’s is giving away free chicken nuggets today on drive-thru and mobile orders, upon request, as part of a promotion dubbed "GroupNug," inspired by those “going above and beyond" during the pandemic. 

Carrie's final mission. While you're stuck at home this weekend, you can catch the final episode of Showtime's long-running hit, "Homeland," which comes to an end Sunday. Read our critic's tribute to the series.

Plus: Playing a full schedule of baseball games in front of fans in major league stadiums no longer is a real possibility, but what if you already bought tickets to these events? 

If you missed today's free webinar with experts from Hofstra University and Catholic Health Services discussing caring for mental health amid the pandemic, you can still view the presentation.

Visit our live blog for real time updates about the virus' impact on the Island.

Commentary

Your perfect post-COVID 19 day. Aaron Clow, of Farmingville, will visit his mother, who is immunocompromised, and father in New Hampshire and "give them the biggest hug."

Jill Eising, of Deer Park, will watch her kids play baseball and softball after their varsity seasons were canceled.

Long Islanders are telling Newsday what their perfect day would look like after the COVID-19 pandemic is past and restrictions are lifted.

See all of their responses and tell us: When it’s safe to return to normal, what are you craving to do? 

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