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The Coronavirus in New York State – What We Know

New York Governor Andrew Cuomo said Monday that 1,218 people have died in the state due to the Coronavirus, according to the NY Times. The total number of cases in the state is projected to be about 66,500, with 36,221 positive cases in New York City alone. However, the state has only tested about 1 percent of its population – or a little more than 186,000 people – so many more are expected to be infected. Governor Cuomo, speaking at a press conference Sunday evening, claimed that the worst of the virus in the state was yet to come. “If you wait to prepare for a storm to hit, it is too late,” the governor said. “You have to prepare before the storm hits. And in this case the storm is when you hit that high point, when you hit that apex. How do you know when you’re going to get there? You don’t.” ~

To battle the rampant effects of COVID-19 in New York State, a make-shift hospital has been built in central park. The respiratory care unit has 68 beds, according to CNN. Cuomo set a goal of building a 1,000-plus patient temporary hospital in each of New York City’s five boroughs as well as in nearby Westchester, Rockland, Nassau and Suffolk counties. Additionally, a naval hospital ship – called the USNS Comfort – landed in New York harbor this morning, where it will provide an additional 1,000 hospital beds. These boats will be used for patients without the virus, and will free up beds for coronavirus patients in other hospitals. ~

Although hopeful about the impact of the boat, Mayor Bill de Blasio still believes much more help is needed. The city is distributing a lot of personal protective equipment given to them by the federal government, including 2,500 ventilators, 8,918,000 face masks, 179,328 face shields, 1,570,300 surgical gloves and 476,565 masks. “We started with around 20,000 working beds in New York City,” de Blasio said. “We have to get over 60,000 by the beginning of May according to what we know now — like adding 40 U.S. Comforts. And that’s the magnitude of what we’re talking about.” ~

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