This article is from the source 'nytimes' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.

You can find the current article at its original source at https://www.nytimes.com/2020/03/04/nyregion/coronavirus-nyc-yeshiva-university.html

The article has changed 37 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.

Version 7 Version 8
Coronavirus in N.Y.: 9 New Cases, All Connected to Westchester Man Coronavirus in N.Y.: 9 New Cases, All Connected to Westchester Man
(about 3 hours later)
Nine people connected to the man who was confirmed as New York’s second case of the new coronavirus have all tested positive for the illness, state officials said on Wednesday. Just a day after a Westchester County man was confirmed as New York’s second case of the new coronavirus, the authorities revealed on Wednesday just how readily it was spreading, saying that nine people connected to the man had all tested positive.
The new cases included the man’s wife; his son, 20; his daughter, 14; and a neighbor in Westchester County, who drove the man to the hospital. A friend of the man who spent time “in close proximity” with him also tested positive for the virus, as did that man’s wife and three of their children, Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo said. The sudden jump in positive results — from one on Sunday to 11 by Wednesday — reinforced what officials had warned about for weeks: As investigators traced the virus’s spread and began to test more people, the number of cases was likely to grow.
The new confirmed cases, which brings the number in New York state to 11, came as state and local health officials were scrambling to identify the scope of the illness’s spread from the Westchester father. The state’s disease detectives continued working furiously, sorting through the circle of friends, family and co-workers of the people who had tested positive for the virus. State officials said they had asked more than 1,000 peopleto voluntarily isolate themselves.
So far, about 1,000 people were being asked to self-quarantine, Mr. Cuomo estimated. “We are trying to do as much investigation work as possible,” Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo said. He added: “It’s impossible to fully contain it, but you put enough people on notice."
Still, the governor urged New Yorkers not to panic — even as he said, as he has before, that officials expected that there would be many people who would test positive. The nine new cases identified on Wednesday included the Westchester man’s wife; his son, a 20-year-old college student in Manhattan; his daughter, 14; and a neighbor who drove the man to the hospital.
“By definition, the more you test, the more people you will find who test positive,” Mr. Cuomo said. A friend of the man who spent time “in close proximity” with him also tested positive for the virus, as did that friend’s wife and three of their children, Mr. Cuomo said.
The discovery that the Westchester father, a man of about 50 who works with his wife at a law firm in Manhattan, had the illness set off a search by health officials across the region to determine whether he had infected others, and who might have infected him. Officials said they were still uncertain how the man, 50, who had not been to any areas with widespread transmission of the virus, had become infected. He became ill on Feb. 22 and was admitted to NewYork-Presbyterian Lawrence Hospital in Bronxville, N.Y., five days later.
Officials said they had little clue as to how the man, who had not been to any areas with widespread transmission of the virus, had become infected. He became ill on Feb. 22 and was admitted to NewYork-Presbyterian Lawrence Hospital in Bronxville, N.Y., five days later. So far, public health workers have focused their efforts on determining whether any other people connected to the man were infected. They advised some nurses and doctors at the hospital in Bronxville that they would need to be quarantined. Eight employees there were being tested for the virus, Mr. Cuomo said on Wednesday.
So far, public health workers have told some nurses and doctors at the hospital that they would need to be quarantined. Eight employees there were being tested for the virus, Mr. Cuomo said on Wednesday. At the hospital’s front entrance on Wednesday, multiple signs in large capital letters warned visitors to put on a mask and wash their hands if they had cough, fever or rash: “Stop. Important notice! Cough or fever? Please do not visit.”
At the hospital’s front entrance on Wednesday, multiple signs in large capital letters warn visitors that if they have cough, fever or rash, they should put on a mask and wash their hands: “Stop. Important notice! Cough or fever? Please do not visit.”
Get an informed guide to the global outbreak with our daily coronavirusGet an informed guide to the global outbreak with our daily coronavirus
newsletter. newsletter.
One sign said that if you or someone close to you is ill and has left the country in the past three weeks, “Please tell staff immediately.” One sign said that if you or someone close to you was ill and had left the country in the past three weeks, “Please tell staff immediately.”
The Westchester father, who Mr. Cuomo said had an underlying respiratory illness, is hospitalized at NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital in Manhattan. Though he was taken there in serious condition, he is stable and his health is improving, Mr. Cuomo said. The Westchester father, a lawyer who Mr. Cuomo said had an underlying respiratory illness, remained hospitalized at NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital in Manhattan on Wednesday. Though he was taken there in severe condition, he is stable and his health is improving, Mr. Cuomo said.
The man is the only one of the patients to be hospitalized so far. His family is quarantined at home in New Rochelle, just north of New York City. The man is the only one of the people confirmed to have the virus to be hospitalized so far. His family is quarantined at home in New Rochelle, just north of New York City.
On Tuesday night, restaurants on a main avenue in New Rochelle were nearly empty, and store shelves were empty of spray disinfectant, rubbing alcohol and bleach. On Tuesday night, restaurants on a main avenue in New Rochelle were nearly empty, and store shelves had been cleared out of spray disinfectant, rubbing alcohol and bleach.
Health officials halted all services at the synagogue the family attended, Young Israel of New Rochelle, and told the congregants who attended a funeral and a bat mitzvah there on Feb. 23 to self-quarantine in their homes. Health officials halted all services at the synagogue the family attended, Young Israel of New Rochelle, closing the house of worship until March 8. They also told anyone who had attended a funeral and a bat mitzvah there on Feb. 23 to self-quarantine in their homes.
Eight people who work at the man and woman’s law firm on East 42nd Street in Midtown Manhattan were being tested for the virus, Mayor Bill de Blasio said at a news conference on Wednesday.Eight people who work at the man and woman’s law firm on East 42nd Street in Midtown Manhattan were being tested for the virus, Mayor Bill de Blasio said at a news conference on Wednesday.
The neighbor’s children were also being tested, Mr. Cuomo said.The neighbor’s children were also being tested, Mr. Cuomo said.
The son, a student at Yeshiva University in Manhattan who lived in campus housing, had not been at the school since Feb. 27, officials said. He had shown symptoms of the virus but was “getting better,” Mr. de Blasio said. The lawyer’s 20-year-old son, a student at Yeshiva University in Manhattan who lived in campus housing, had not been at the school since Feb. 27, officials said. He had shown symptoms of the virus but was “getting better,” Mr. de Blasio said.
University officials and city public health authorities were working to identify people who might have been in close contact with him. So far, only two people — the student’s roommate and a close friend — have been tested for the virus, Mr. de Blasio said. University officials and city public health authorities were working to identify people who might have been in close contact with him. So far, they determined that only two — the student’s roommate and a close friend — needed to be tested for the virus, Mr. de Blasio said.
Classes at the university’s campus in Washington Heights will be canceled until Friday, Mr. Cuomo said. Dorms and food services remained open, according to a statement from the university. Classes at the university’s campuses in Washington Heights and Midtown will be canceled until Friday, school administrators said.
On Wednesday afternoon, a typically busy walkway that runs through the campus was largely deserted. Students there said anxiety on campus had risen. On Wednesday, the typically bustling campus seemed largely deserted, with streams of students hailing taxis or heading toward the subway to leave campus with luggage in tow.
In and around the university, the coronavirus was the major topic of conversation, with many students saying that anxiety had steadily risen.
“You can’t even cough without people losing their minds,” Jared Weinstein, a freshman, said as he walked through campus.“You can’t even cough without people losing their minds,” Jared Weinstein, a freshman, said as he walked through campus.
Yeshiva University said that a law school student was in self-quarantine after having contact with the law firm where the Westchester man works. They did not provide an update on that student’s condition.Yeshiva University said that a law school student was in self-quarantine after having contact with the law firm where the Westchester man works. They did not provide an update on that student’s condition.
New York Law School in TriBeCa also canceled classes and closed its facilities after a student there reported having contact with the Westchester man.New York Law School in TriBeCa also canceled classes and closed its facilities after a student there reported having contact with the Westchester man.
The Westchester man’s daughter, who was asymptomatic, is a student at the SAR High School in the Bronx. The school had been voluntarily shut down by administrators on Tuesday and Wednesday and would remain closed until after the Purim holiday on March 10, Mr. Cuomo said.The Westchester man’s daughter, who was asymptomatic, is a student at the SAR High School in the Bronx. The school had been voluntarily shut down by administrators on Tuesday and Wednesday and would remain closed until after the Purim holiday on March 10, Mr. Cuomo said.
An associated school, the SAR Academy, would also be closed through Friday as a precaution. The Hastings-on-Hudson school district in Westchester County closed its schools so it could sanitize them “out of an abundance of caution.”
The man’s friend and his family remained isolated at home in New Rochelle, Mr. Cuomo said. The three children, two sons and a daughter, who tested positive for the virus attended the Westchester Torah Academy in White Plains, N.Y. The man’s fourth child, a daughter, did not test positive for the virus.The man’s friend and his family remained isolated at home in New Rochelle, Mr. Cuomo said. The three children, two sons and a daughter, who tested positive for the virus attended the Westchester Torah Academy in White Plains, N.Y. The man’s fourth child, a daughter, did not test positive for the virus.
The authorities announced the state’s first confirmed case of the new coronavirus on Sunday, saying a 39-year-old health care worker had been infected in Iran, where the illness is raging. She began exhibiting symptoms after returning home but had kept herself largely isolated.The authorities announced the state’s first confirmed case of the new coronavirus on Sunday, saying a 39-year-old health care worker had been infected in Iran, where the illness is raging. She began exhibiting symptoms after returning home but had kept herself largely isolated.
Her husband had also been tested for the virus. The tests came back negative, but the man was being asked to remain in isolation, Mr. de Blasio said on Wednesday.Her husband had also been tested for the virus. The tests came back negative, but the man was being asked to remain in isolation, Mr. de Blasio said on Wednesday.
With the virus spreading, students and faculty at State University of New York and City University of New York campuses who were studying abroad in China, Italy, Japan, Iran, and South Korea — all of which have been epicenters of the illness — would be asked to come back to the United States, Mr. Cuomo said. With the virus spreading, around 300 students and faculty at State University of New York and City University of New York campuses who were studying abroad in China, Italy, Japan, Iran and South Korea — all of which have been epicenters of the illness — would be asked to come back to the United States, Mr. Cuomo said.
Around 300 students and faculty would travel back to the U.S. on a chartered plane and be quarantined upon arrival for two weeks, Mr. Cuomo said. The state was identifying dormitories where they would be isolated. They would travel back to the U.S. on a chartered plane and be quarantined upon arrival for two weeks, Mr. Cuomo said. The state was identifying dormitories where they would be isolated.
Several New York City employees, including five police officers and one public-school teacher, were self-isolating, Mr. de Blasio said. Officials had not yet tested them for the virus but planned to, he said. Several New York City employees not connected to the Westchester case, including five police officers and one public-school teacher, all of whom had traveled to an affected country, were self-isolating as a precaution, Mr. de Blasio said. Officials had not yet tested them for the virus but planned to, he said.
Mr. de Blasio said that the teacher had recently traveled to an affected country and was at home. She was “not in contact with students and won’t be in contact with students until it is safe to be so,” he added. Mr. de Blasio said that the teacher was “not in contact with students and won’t be in contact with students until it is safe to be so.”
Asked about potential public school closures, Mr. de Blasio said the city had a “basic capacity” to provide remote learning.Asked about potential public school closures, Mr. de Blasio said the city had a “basic capacity” to provide remote learning.
The city schools chancellor, Richard A. Carranza, said that school closures would represent a “last resort” because of the many issues that significant closures would create.The city schools chancellor, Richard A. Carranza, said that school closures would represent a “last resort” because of the many issues that significant closures would create.
The state health commissioner, Dr. Howard Zucker, said at the news conference that New York was following guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention when deciding who to test for the virus — testing individuals who had recently traveled to affected countries or had contact with a person who tested positive, for example. As the number of cases in New York increased, the state health commissioner, Dr. Howard Zucker, cautioned residents not to be among the “worried well”: people who sought testing despite not having recently traveled to affected countries or had contact with a person who tested positive.
“This brings up a concern about the ‘worried well,’” Dr. Zucker said. “There are a lot of people out there who have a simple cough and they think they have coronavirus. It is very important to alleviate some of those worries and fears when you just have a cold, a simple cold.” “There are a lot of people out there who have a simple cough and they think they have coronavirus,” Dr. Zucker said. “It is very important to alleviate some of those worries and fears when you just have a cold, a simple cold.”
He added, “Individuals who are sick or symptomatic should talk with their health care professional and find out because they might have an underlying reason for having that cough or that symptom.”He added, “Individuals who are sick or symptomatic should talk with their health care professional and find out because they might have an underlying reason for having that cough or that symptom.”
Luis Ferré-Sadurní reported from Albany, Aaron Randle, Eliza Shapiro and Jeffery C. Mays contributed reporting and Rebecca Liebson contributed reporting from Bronxville, N.Y. Luis Ferré-Sadurní reported from Albany. Aaron Randle, Eliza Shapiro and Jeffery C. Mays contributed reporting and Rebecca Liebson contributed reporting from Bronxville, N.Y.