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First Coronavirus Death Reported in New York City: Live Updates First Coronavirus Death Reported in New York City: Live Updates
(32 minutes later)
New York reported its first death linked to coronavirus on Saturday, when an 82-year-old woman died in Brooklyn, according to Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo.New York reported its first death linked to coronavirus on Saturday, when an 82-year-old woman died in Brooklyn, according to Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo.
The woman, who was not identified, had emphysema, an underlying medical condition, something the governor said contributed to her death, likening it to fatalities from seasonal influenza. The woman had been hospitalized on March 3 with emphysema and then contracted the virus, officials said.The woman, who was not identified, had emphysema, an underlying medical condition, something the governor said contributed to her death, likening it to fatalities from seasonal influenza. The woman had been hospitalized on March 3 with emphysema and then contracted the virus, officials said.
She died Friday night at Wyckoff Heights Medical Center in Brooklyn.She died Friday night at Wyckoff Heights Medical Center in Brooklyn.
“If you are 82 years old and you have emphysema and you get the flu, you are in a serious position,” the governor said. “If you are 82 years old and you have emphysema and you get the flu, you are in a grave position,” the governor said.
Mayor Bill de Blasio responded solemnly to the breaking news during a live interview on MSNBC Saturday morning.Mayor Bill de Blasio responded solemnly to the breaking news during a live interview on MSNBC Saturday morning.
“We’ve been very worried about her,” Mr. de Blasio said. “It’s tragic. We are going to lose some people.”“We’ve been very worried about her,” Mr. de Blasio said. “It’s tragic. We are going to lose some people.”
Mr. de Blasio also took the opportunity to criticize what he has deemed to be an inadequate response by President Trump to the outbreak. For weeks, city and state officials have been pleading with the Trump administration to speed up access to testing for the virus, he said.Mr. de Blasio also took the opportunity to criticize what he has deemed to be an inadequate response by President Trump to the outbreak. For weeks, city and state officials have been pleading with the Trump administration to speed up access to testing for the virus, he said.
“There are some, I am certain, that could had been saved if the testing were here from the beginning,” he said.“There are some, I am certain, that could had been saved if the testing were here from the beginning,” he said.
New York City’s Health and Hospitals Corporation, operator of the largest municipal hospital system in the country, plans to cancel nonemergency surgeries. NYU Langone Medical Center’s Tisch Hospital turned a pediatric emergency room into an intensive care unit for adults. Northwell Health, which has a sprawling network of hospitals, is asking retired nurses to return to work.New York City’s Health and Hospitals Corporation, operator of the largest municipal hospital system in the country, plans to cancel nonemergency surgeries. NYU Langone Medical Center’s Tisch Hospital turned a pediatric emergency room into an intensive care unit for adults. Northwell Health, which has a sprawling network of hospitals, is asking retired nurses to return to work.
But New York City’s hospitals, widely considered among the best in the world, may still be moving too slowly to get ready for a coronavirus outbreak that has already overwhelmed other countries and is now taking root in the New York region, according to many health care experts.But New York City’s hospitals, widely considered among the best in the world, may still be moving too slowly to get ready for a coronavirus outbreak that has already overwhelmed other countries and is now taking root in the New York region, according to many health care experts.
“We are not prepared to deal with a rapid and severe surge of patients — we’re just not,” said Dr. Christopher M. Tedeschi, a longtime emergency physician and assistant professor at the Columbia University Medical Center. “We’re sort of planning for what’s going on right now, and we’re trying to make up for lost time, but I’m not sure we’re planning for a month from now, or even two weeks from now.”“We are not prepared to deal with a rapid and severe surge of patients — we’re just not,” said Dr. Christopher M. Tedeschi, a longtime emergency physician and assistant professor at the Columbia University Medical Center. “We’re sort of planning for what’s going on right now, and we’re trying to make up for lost time, but I’m not sure we’re planning for a month from now, or even two weeks from now.”
Officials emphasize that most coronavirus cases do not require hospitalization. Still, around the city and country, hospitals have begun adopting plans for a surge in patients. Read more about what New York City hospitals have planned here.Officials emphasize that most coronavirus cases do not require hospitalization. Still, around the city and country, hospitals have begun adopting plans for a surge in patients. Read more about what New York City hospitals have planned here.
Get an informed guide to the global outbreak with our daily coronavirusGet an informed guide to the global outbreak with our daily coronavirus
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Mayor Bill de Blasio reiterated on Friday that New York City’s public schools would remain open as long as possible.
The mayor stood firm on that point even as attendance plunged, three school buildings closed for the day after coronavirus cases were reported, and the calls for schools to close from other officials and unions grew.
Mr. de Blasio, speaking at an evening news conference, said the question of whether to keep the schools open was more complex than some people were making it seem. Mass closings, he said, could shut schools down not just for the rest of the current academic year but potentially through the rest of 2020.
“We shut down the school system, we might not see it for the rest of the school year, we might not see the beginning of the new school year,” he said. “And that weighs heavily on me.”
Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo has also resisted calls to close public schools across the state.
Even public health experts with dissenting views on whether entire school systems should be closed say that to be effective in protecting public health, such moves should be long-term, ideally for as long as a threat like the novel coronavirus persists.
The federal Centers for Disease Control said on Friday that “short to medium closures” did not have an impact on mitigating the spread of the virus, but that closings of eight to 20 weeks might have “some impact.” The C.D.C. also said that other countries that closed schools did not necessarily have more success in curbing the virus’s spread than those that did not.
As of Saturday morning, New York State had 524 confirmed coronavirus cases, Mr. Cuomo said.As of Saturday morning, New York State had 524 confirmed coronavirus cases, Mr. Cuomo said.
Just over 20 percent of those cases are hospitalized, Mr. Cuomo said.Just over 20 percent of those cases are hospitalized, Mr. Cuomo said.
The new totals were announced as New Yorkers prepared for a drastic shift in their daily lives. Limits on public gatherings in the state took effect at 5 p.m. Friday.The new totals were announced as New Yorkers prepared for a drastic shift in their daily lives. Limits on public gatherings in the state took effect at 5 p.m. Friday.
Mr. Cuomo reiterated on Saturday that jumps in the number of cases were more a reflection of the state’s ability to test people than of the outbreak’s severity. However, he noted that he expected thousands of additional cases statewide as the virus continues to spread.Mr. Cuomo reiterated on Saturday that jumps in the number of cases were more a reflection of the state’s ability to test people than of the outbreak’s severity. However, he noted that he expected thousands of additional cases statewide as the virus continues to spread.
“The infection rate will be massive,” he said.“The infection rate will be massive,” he said.
Mr. Cuomo said efforts in the city and state were still focused on tamping down the disease where they could.
The governor expressed concerns about hospital capacity, particularly in intensive care. The state has approximately 3,000 I.C.U. beds, about 80 percent of which are already occupied, he said.
“That’s what this is all about,” the governor said. “How do you, can you, reduce the rate of spread to a level that your hospital system can manage?”
New York officials have pushed to increase the state’s ability to test for the coronavirus. On Friday, the federal government said that it would allow the state’s health department to authorize local labs to perform coronavirus tests.New York officials have pushed to increase the state’s ability to test for the coronavirus. On Friday, the federal government said that it would allow the state’s health department to authorize local labs to perform coronavirus tests.
By next week, New York could be conducting 6,000 tests a day, Mr. Cuomo said on Friday. The state has opened a “drive through” testing facility in New Rochelle, a suburb of New York City that has been at the center of the epidemic in the state.By next week, New York could be conducting 6,000 tests a day, Mr. Cuomo said on Friday. The state has opened a “drive through” testing facility in New Rochelle, a suburb of New York City that has been at the center of the epidemic in the state.
Mayor Bill de Blasio reiterated on Friday that New York City’s public schools would remain open as long as possible.
The mayor stood firm on that point even as attendance plunged, three school buildings closed for the day after coronavirus cases were reported, and the calls for schools to close from other officials and unions grew.
Mr. de Blasio, speaking at an evening news conference, said the question of whether to keep the schools open was more complex than some people were making it seem. Mass closings, he said, could shut schools down not just for the rest of the current academic year but potentially through the rest of 2020.
“We shut down the school system, we might not see it for the rest of the school year, we might not see the beginning of the new school year,” he said. “And that weighs heavily on me.”
Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo has also resisted calls to close public schools across the state. On Saturday, he noted that school closures could create hardships in particular for police officers, firefighters, bus drivers and health care workers.
“These are the essential workers for society,” Mr. Cuomo said. “So there are significant negatives.”
Even public health experts with dissenting views on whether entire school systems should be closed say that to be effective in protecting public health, such moves should be long-term, ideally for as long as a threat like the novel coronavirus persists.
The federal Centers for Disease Control said on Friday that “short to medium closures” did not have an impact on mitigating the spread of the virus, but that closings of eight to 20 weeks might have “some impact.” The C.D.C. also said that other countries that closed schools did not necessarily have more success in curbing the virus’s spread than those that did not.
The city was going into lockdown, or at least that’s what people were saying — probably by Friday morning. The rumor was false but that didn’t slow it down.The city was going into lockdown, or at least that’s what people were saying — probably by Friday morning. The rumor was false but that didn’t slow it down.
New York did not go on lockdown. But these rumors did inspire those who were not in a position to flee the city to instead panic shop.New York did not go on lockdown. But these rumors did inspire those who were not in a position to flee the city to instead panic shop.
Broad-scale emergencies never fail to reveal the fault lines in the American class system, and it was suddenly clear that well-off New Yorkers were going to go about the business of combating the coronavirus differently, with more than fortitude and Purell, because they had a powerful inoculant: secondary real estate.Broad-scale emergencies never fail to reveal the fault lines in the American class system, and it was suddenly clear that well-off New Yorkers were going to go about the business of combating the coronavirus differently, with more than fortitude and Purell, because they had a powerful inoculant: secondary real estate.
As the messages flew around, the people with weekend homes — on Long Island, in Connecticut, on Cape Cod — made plans to flee to them, indefinitely.As the messages flew around, the people with weekend homes — on Long Island, in Connecticut, on Cape Cod — made plans to flee to them, indefinitely.
Outside a prewar co-op on lower Fifth Avenue on Friday morning, well-dressed people were loading cats and canvas bags into their hatchbacks. “The building is empty,’’ one woman entering with her dog explained. “Everyone’s gone to the Hamptons.”Outside a prewar co-op on lower Fifth Avenue on Friday morning, well-dressed people were loading cats and canvas bags into their hatchbacks. “The building is empty,’’ one woman entering with her dog explained. “Everyone’s gone to the Hamptons.”
Read more about how the 1 percent made a panicked exodus to their second homes.Read more about how the 1 percent made a panicked exodus to their second homes.
A day after New York officials declared a state of emergency, shoppers flooded stores and emptied shelves as they prepared for the unknown.A day after New York officials declared a state of emergency, shoppers flooded stores and emptied shelves as they prepared for the unknown.
At a Target store at the Atlantic Terminal in Brooklyn, customers snatched up hand soap, lotion, detergent, vitamins and paper products. Cold and flu medicines were completely sold out.At a Target store at the Atlantic Terminal in Brooklyn, customers snatched up hand soap, lotion, detergent, vitamins and paper products. Cold and flu medicines were completely sold out.
Soon after the 9 a.m. opening at a Trader Joe’s in Hoboken, N.J., a line of nervous customers stretched along the block in the rain, waiting to pick through the mostly bare shelves inside. There was no chicken left, and no garbanzo beans, coffee or chips.Soon after the 9 a.m. opening at a Trader Joe’s in Hoboken, N.J., a line of nervous customers stretched along the block in the rain, waiting to pick through the mostly bare shelves inside. There was no chicken left, and no garbanzo beans, coffee or chips.
Once reserved for hurricanes and snowstorms, the frantic pursuit of groceries and household goods has grown more intense in the era of the coronavirus.Once reserved for hurricanes and snowstorms, the frantic pursuit of groceries and household goods has grown more intense in the era of the coronavirus.
With more than 150 reported cases of coronavirus in the nation’s largest city, taking a subway or bus to work has suddenly become charged with potential perils. Many commuters fear everything from possibly virus-tainted surfaces to strangers sneezing and coughing on fellow riders. That’s why a growing number New Yorkers are reducing their exposure to the disease by riding bicycles.With more than 150 reported cases of coronavirus in the nation’s largest city, taking a subway or bus to work has suddenly become charged with potential perils. Many commuters fear everything from possibly virus-tainted surfaces to strangers sneezing and coughing on fellow riders. That’s why a growing number New Yorkers are reducing their exposure to the disease by riding bicycles.
Citi Bike, the city’s bike share program, has seen a nearly 70 percent demand surge this month, officials said. Between March 1 and March 11, there were a total of 517,768 trips compared with 310,132 trips during the same period the year before.Citi Bike, the city’s bike share program, has seen a nearly 70 percent demand surge this month, officials said. Between March 1 and March 11, there were a total of 517,768 trips compared with 310,132 trips during the same period the year before.
Cycling has also seen dramatic increases over four East River bridges that connect Manhattan with Brooklyn and Queens, and are popular bike commuting routes. There were as many as 21,300 bike crossings on a single day this month (March 9), up 52 percent from a peak of 14,032 bike crossings for the same period a year ago.Cycling has also seen dramatic increases over four East River bridges that connect Manhattan with Brooklyn and Queens, and are popular bike commuting routes. There were as many as 21,300 bike crossings on a single day this month (March 9), up 52 percent from a peak of 14,032 bike crossings for the same period a year ago.
The bicycles’ sudden popularity come at a time when fewer people are taking their chances getting to work or home underground. Trains that take riders from New York to the suburbs and back has seen a steep drop, figures show.The bicycles’ sudden popularity come at a time when fewer people are taking their chances getting to work or home underground. Trains that take riders from New York to the suburbs and back has seen a steep drop, figures show.
Jesse McKinley, Edgar Sandoval and Nicole Hong contributed reporting.Jesse McKinley, Edgar Sandoval and Nicole Hong contributed reporting.