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Hospital Ship Headed to New York as Virus Count Spikes: Live Updates Hospital Ship Headed to New York as Virus Count Spikes: Live Updates
(about 1 hour later)
Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo of New York said Wednesday morning that President Trump had agreed to dispatch a 1,000-bed hospital ship to New York Harbor as the state struggles to deal with a stark jump in coronavirus cases. Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo of New York said on Wednesday that President Trump had agreed to dispatch a 1,000-bed hospital ship to New York Harbor as the state struggles to deal with a stark jump in coronavirus cases.
As of Wednesday morning, 2,382 people had tested positive in New York State, an increase of more than 800 since Tuesday. In New York City, 1,339 people have tested positive, up from 814 yesterday. Mr. Cuomo said on Wednesday that 2,382 people in the state had tested positive for the virus, an increase of more than 800 since Tuesday. In New York City, 1,339 people had tested positive, compared with 814 on Tuesday.
Mr. Cuomo said that much of the jump is attributable to an increase in testing. Of the 14,597 people who have been tested so far, nearly 5,000 were tested yesterday. Mr. Cuomo attributed much of the jump to an increase in testing. Of the 14,597 people to be tested so far, nearly 5,000 were tested on Tuesday.
Mr. Cuomo also issued a statewide order that no business can have more than half its work force report to work outside the home. In the past week, as testing has expanded and more people have gotten sick, the number of people to test positive for the virus in New York State has increased 42 percent a day on average.
“We’ll see if that reduces the spread,” Mr. Cuomo said. “If it doesn’t slow the spread, then we will reduce the numbers even further.” “You are at a point of deciding: How many people are going to live, how many people are going to die?” Mr. Cuomo said.
The 894-foot hospital ship, the U.S.N.S. Comfort, has been deployed to natural disaster zones, including to Puerto Rico following Hurricane Maria in 2017. Throughout the day, Mr. Cuomo emphasized that his priority remained halting the virus’s spread, not the economic fallout from the mandatory closings businesses and other restrictions imposed as a result of the outbreak.
“It has operating rooms,” Mr. Cuomo said, adding that the ship “was going to be dispatched immediately.” Drawing further on military resources, Mr. Cuomo said he would meet with the Army Corps of Engineers this afternoon as he seeks their help rapidly creating more hospital beds. “The crisis at hand is a public health crisis,” he said. “Once we get past that well deal with the economic crisis.”
The governor said Pennsylvania would join New York’s existing coalition with New Jersey and Connecticut to formulate uniform rules meant to reduce the spread across all four states. Mr. Cuomo also issued a statewide order that no business have more than half its employees leave their homes to come to work.
Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo, appearing on The Times’s podcast “The Daily” this morning, emphasized that his priority remained halting the spread of coronavirus — and not the economic fallout from mandatory closings and restrictions that have been put in place. “We’ll see if that reduces the spread,” he said. “If it doesn’t slow the spread, then we will reduce the numbers even further.”
“You are past the time of monetizing these decisions,” he said. The hospital ship, the U.S.N.S. Comfort, has previously been deployed to natural disaster zones, including to Puerto Rico after Hurricane Maria in 2017.
“You are at a point of deciding: how many people are going to live, how many people are going to die?” “It has operating rooms,” Mr. Cuomo said, adding that the 894-foot ship “was going to be dispatched immediately.” Drawing further on the U.S. military, Mr. Cuomo said he would meet with the Army Corps of Engineers on Wednesday as he seeks to rapidly add hospital beds.
Mr. Cuomo’s comments came halfway through a week in which the authorities have eliminated most public gatherings, shuttered many nonessential businesses and all public schools in the state, as well as in New Jersey and Connecticut. Pentagon officials said it was possible that the Comfort could absorb non-coronavirus patients, potentially freeing up hospital beds in Manhattan for infectious cases.
Over the past week, as testing ramps up and more people get sick, the number of people who have tested positive for the virus in New York State has increased by an average of 42 percent per day. Mr. Cuomo also said that Pennsylvania would join New York, New Jersey and Connecticut to formulate uniform rules meant to reduce the spread across the four states.
“We are seeing the enemy on the horizon, and they are approaching very quickly and we don’t have our defense in place,” Mr. Cuomo said. He said the hospital system was likely to be overwhelmed. “There is no way they can handle this.” The hospitality industry’s problems continued on Wednesday ,with the Union Square Hospitality Group, one of the nation’s leading restaurant companies, saying it was laying off 2,000 employees “due to a near-complete elimination of revenue.”
Mayor Bill de Blasio said on Wednesday morning that the United States military should get involved in helping to coordinate the medical response to the disease. The company, founded by Danny Meyer, closed all of its New York City restaurants last Friday, including stalwarts like Gramercy Tavern and Union Square Cafe.
The layoffs announced on Wednesday represented 80 percent of the company’s staff, at 18 restaurants in New York City, two in Washington and its corporate office in Manhattan.
Other dining powerhouses, like the Major Food Group and the Jean-Georges Vongerichten restaurants, began to lay off workers last week, when employers were making difficult calculations about whether to close altogether or to remain open for takeout and delivery to keep at least some cash coming in.
Before Mr. Cuomo’s announcement about the hospital ship, Mayor Bill de Blasio said Wednesday morning that the United States military should get involved in helping to coordinate the medical response to the disease.
“The military has extraordinary medical capacity,” Mr. de Blasio said on “The Today Show.” “It’s needed in places like New York right now.” He added that the medical resources and logistical know-how of the armed forces were not being deployed as they could.“The military has extraordinary medical capacity,” Mr. de Blasio said on “The Today Show.” “It’s needed in places like New York right now.” He added that the medical resources and logistical know-how of the armed forces were not being deployed as they could.
“The American military is being sidelined when they should be given a chance to get in this game and help us all.”
Mr. de Blasio also continued to insist on the importance of a discussion about shelter-in-place-measures in the city, and said that he would have a conversation with the governor — who has strongly opposed the idea of such measures — later Wednesday.Mr. de Blasio also continued to insist on the importance of a discussion about shelter-in-place-measures in the city, and said that he would have a conversation with the governor — who has strongly opposed the idea of such measures — later Wednesday.
On Wednesday, Mr. Cuomo renewed his opposition to a shelter-in-place order. Mr. Cuomo renewed his opposition to a shelter-in-place order on Wednesday.
With the shelter-in-place policy, he said, “ you close down your health care system, you close down your food system, you close down your transportation system.” By adopting such a policy, he said, “you close down your health care system, you close down your food system, you close down your transportation system.”
Most of New York City’s hotels have been struggling since the coronavirus pandemic put a stop to leisure and business travel. Most of New York City’s hotels have struggled since the pandemic stopped vacation and business travel.
But with very few guests and virtually no reservations for the next several weeks, several hotels, including one of the biggest, are shutting their doors and sending their employees home. Now, with very few guests and virtually no reservations for the next several weeks, several hotels in the city, including one of the biggest, are closing and sending workers home.
On Tuesday, Hilton Hotels said it would close the massive New York Hilton Midtown indefinitely on Friday. It is one of more than a dozen hotels in the city that has decided this week to close, either for a while or forever, industry officials said. On Tuesday, Hilton Hotels said it would close the huge New York Hilton Midtown indefinitely starting Friday. It is one of more than a dozen hotels in the city that decided this week to close, either for a while or, more ominously, forever, industry officials said.
One of the last big events at the Hilton was a conference of emergency-room doctors that ended March 11.One of the last big events at the Hilton was a conference of emergency-room doctors that ended March 11.
Seven doctors who went to the conference, out of 1,300 people in attendance, have since tested positive for the coronavirus, said the medical association that organized it. Seven doctors who attended the conference, out of 1,300 people who were there, have since tested positive for the coronavirus, according to the medical association that organized the event.
Peter Ward, president of the Hotel Trades Council, which represents about 40,000 hotel workers, said that more than 20,000 of his members have been laid off. All 6,000 of the members of the union’s casino division were laid off when the casinos across the state closed over the weekend, he said. Peter Ward, the president of the Hotel Trades Council, which represents about 40,000 hotel workers, said that more than 20,000 of the union’s members had been laid off. All 6,000 of the members of the union’s casino division were laid off when betting halls across the state closed over the weekend, he said.
“This is a very dark moment not just for the hotel industry,” Mr. Ward said. “It’s a dark moment for the retail industry, for the restaurant and bar business, for Broadway.”“This is a very dark moment not just for the hotel industry,” Mr. Ward said. “It’s a dark moment for the retail industry, for the restaurant and bar business, for Broadway.”
Mr. Ward said he expected hotels to fail if restrictions on travel and commerce last more than a few weeks. “I think you will see bankruptcies, I think you will see foreclosures,” he said. Mr. Ward said he expected hotels to fail if restrictions on travel and commerce last more than a few weeks. “I think you will see bankruptcies,” he said. “I think you will see foreclosures.”
Union officials have been negotiating with hotel operators to get them to pay laid-off workers for all the sick days, vacation days and holidays they could have taken this year. More than 100 hotels have also agreed to bring some workers back as cleaning crews to sanitize lobbies and other common spaces, said Richard Maroko, the union’s general counsel. Union officials have been negotiating with hotel operators to pay laid-off workers for all the sick days, vacation days and holidays they could have taken this year. More than 100 hotels have also agreed to bring some workers back as cleaning crews to sanitize lobbies and other common spaces, said Richard Maroko, the union’s general counsel.
But Hilton’s decision to “temporarily suspend hotel operations” at its Midtown landmark, which occupies a full block on Sixth Avenue between 53rd and 54th streets, was a painful blow to hopes for a quick rebound. But Hilton’s decision to “temporarily suspend hotel operations” at its Midtown flagship, which occupies a full block on Sixth Avenue between 53rd and 54th streets, was a painful blow to hopes for a quick rebound.
A Hilton spokesman estimated that the hotel had more than 1,300 employees. He emphasized that the closing was “a temporary measure.”A Hilton spokesman estimated that the hotel had more than 1,300 employees. He emphasized that the closing was “a temporary measure.”
New York State’s Department of Labor continues to have trouble keeping up with the flood of applications for unemployment benefits. On Tuesday, it added staff, expanded hours and instituted a new system limiting filings to certain days.New York State’s Department of Labor continues to have trouble keeping up with the flood of applications for unemployment benefits. On Tuesday, it added staff, expanded hours and instituted a new system limiting filings to certain days.
Those with last names starting with the letters A through F can file on Mondays. Tuesdays are for letters G through N, and Wednesdays for the rest of the alphabet. On Thursdays and Fridays, anyone can apply.Those with last names starting with the letters A through F can file on Mondays. Tuesdays are for letters G through N, and Wednesdays for the rest of the alphabet. On Thursdays and Fridays, anyone can apply.
The changes came after the system was overwhelmed by new filers when restaurants, hotels and stores shut down and laid off workers en masse. The changes were made new filers overwhelmed the system when restaurants, hotels and stores shut down and laid off workers en masse.
By noon on Tuesday, the department received more than 21,000 calls and 110,000 visits to its website, compared to 2,000 calls and 42,000 logins last Tuesday, it said.
By noon Tuesday, the department had received more than 21,000 calls and 110,000 visits to its website, compared to 2,000 calls and 42,000 logins last Tuesday, it said.
“Our dedicated staff are working as hard as we can to ensure that all benefits are paid and we will continue to do so,” the department said in a statement.“Our dedicated staff are working as hard as we can to ensure that all benefits are paid and we will continue to do so,” the department said in a statement.
At any other time, the three white tents set against Long Island Sound in the middle of a public park, with a line of vehicles waiting to get in, could have been the scene of a wedding or a garden party.At any other time, the three white tents set against Long Island Sound in the middle of a public park, with a line of vehicles waiting to get in, could have been the scene of a wedding or a garden party.
But the appearance of the people underneath the tents — in silver hazmat suits, face shields and masks — told a different story.But the appearance of the people underneath the tents — in silver hazmat suits, face shields and masks — told a different story.
It is New York State’s first drive-through coronavirus testing center, set in the middle of Glen Island, a 105-acre park connected by drawbridge to the mainland in New Rochelle, just north of New York City, an epicenter of the coronavirus outbreak.It is New York State’s first drive-through coronavirus testing center, set in the middle of Glen Island, a 105-acre park connected by drawbridge to the mainland in New Rochelle, just north of New York City, an epicenter of the coronavirus outbreak.
New York is among roughly 10 states that have set up drive-through testing centers, as state and local leaders look to compensate for an acute shortage of tests in the United States.New York is among roughly 10 states that have set up drive-through testing centers, as state and local leaders look to compensate for an acute shortage of tests in the United States.
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More than 200 people gathered for a wedding in Williamsburg on Tuesday, dancing in the street after the Fire Department broke up the party following complaints from neighbors. Gatherings of more than 50 people have been banned in New York State since Monday.More than 200 people gathered for a wedding in Williamsburg on Tuesday, dancing in the street after the Fire Department broke up the party following complaints from neighbors. Gatherings of more than 50 people have been banned in New York State since Monday.
“Everything was exactly how it would have been if there hadn’t been any kind of a pandemic,” said one of the musicians at the wedding.“Everything was exactly how it would have been if there hadn’t been any kind of a pandemic,” said one of the musicians at the wedding.
Several large weddings have been held in New York’s Hasidic community in recent days, community activists said, highlighting the challenges of persuading people to follow public-health restrictions.Several large weddings have been held in New York’s Hasidic community in recent days, community activists said, highlighting the challenges of persuading people to follow public-health restrictions.
Mordy Getz, a local businessman, called the gatherings “very painful” and said they did not represent the mainstream Hasidic community in New York. He blamed the influence of a small number of “extremist leaders.”Mordy Getz, a local businessman, called the gatherings “very painful” and said they did not represent the mainstream Hasidic community in New York. He blamed the influence of a small number of “extremist leaders.”
“There has been a total disrespect to everything medical authorities and the government have been telling us to do,” Mr. Getz said. “It is total defiance.”“There has been a total disrespect to everything medical authorities and the government have been telling us to do,” Mr. Getz said. “It is total defiance.”
A correction officer at a checkpoint leading to Rikers Island tested positive for the coronavirus, a union official said Wednesday. The State Department of Correction confirmed on Wednesday that a correction officer at Sing Sing Correctional Facility and a civilian staff member in Albany had tested positive for the virus.
The officer’s job is to check the credentials of staff entering the jail complex, said Elias Husamudeen, president of the Correction Officers’ Benevolent Association. Officials said in a statement that they were tracing the staff member’s contacts to notify anyone who might have been exposed to the virus. A department spokesman declined to say whether the employee was a correction officer.
The officer had been out for about five days after he felt ill, Mr. Husamudeen said, adding that city Correction Department officials were tracking down people the officer may have been in contact with. Additionally, a correction officer at a checkpoint leading to New York City’s Rikers Island jail complex tested positive for the coronavirus, a union official said on Wednesday.
Mr. Husamudeen said his officers still needed more supplies, including masks and hand sanitizer. He has asked the city for higher-grade masks to better protect officers if the virus breaks out in the jails. The officer’s job involves checking the credentials of staff members entering the complex, said Elias Husamudeen, president of the Correction Officers’ Benevolent Association.
“We can’t not come to work,” Mr. Husamudeen said. “We need to be protected.” As of Wednesday, prison officials said, no inmates had tested positive for the virus. Two other people who did not have symptoms were tested because they may have had contact with the infected employee, officials said.
New York City’s public transportation system, the largest in North America, is seeking a $4 billion federal bailout as the coronavirus pandemic triggers an extraordinary free fall in ridership as part of what is likely to be the local economy’s worst crisis in decades. Jonah Engel Bromwich, Alan Feuer, Christina Goldbaum, Matthew Haag, Tim Herrera, Patrick McGeehan, Sarah Maslin Nir, Andy Newman, Jan Ransom and Liam Stack contributed reporting.
In a letter on Tuesday to New York’s congressional delegation, the Metropolitan Transportation Authority, which runs the city’s subway and buses and two commuter railroads, said that subway ridership had plunged 60 percent and bus ridership had fallen 49 percent on Monday compared with the same day last year.
Ridership was down 90 percent on the Metro-North Railroad, which serves communities north of New York City, and 67 percent on the Long Island Rail Road.
“The M.T.A. is now facing financial calamity,” Patrick J. Foye, chairman of the transit authority, said in the letter.
Almost a dozen calls with five health care providers. Two hours in a hospital. Four days of anxiously checking an online portal for results.
That’s the winding path through bureaucracy that took me from placing my first phone call last Wednesday to getting my positive coronavirus test results on Monday. Five days in limbo.
I’m 33 and generally healthy, so the illness itself is manageable. It feels like a medium-grade flu, with extra coughing and chest pain.
But the process to get me here was a maze of inefficiency, and I’m one of the fortunate ones.
Jonah Engel Bromwich, Christina Goldbaum, Matthew Haag, Tim Herrera, Patrick McGeehan, Sarah Maslin Nir, Andy Newman, Jan Ransom and Liam Stack contributed reporting.