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N.Y.P.D. Has 500 Coronavirus Cases and 2nd Civilian Death: Live Updates N.Y.P.D. Has 500 Coronavirus Cases and 2nd Civilian Death: Live Updates
(about 1 hour later)
At least 500 New York Police Department employees have tested positive for the novel coronavirus, and more than 4,000 officers — about 11 percent of the uniformed work force — were out sick on Friday, officials said.At least 500 New York Police Department employees have tested positive for the novel coronavirus, and more than 4,000 officers — about 11 percent of the uniformed work force — were out sick on Friday, officials said.
Of the department employees who tested positive, 442 were uniformed officers and 70 were civilians, officials said. In a force of 36,000 officers, that translates to an infection rate of about one in every 80 officers, or about 1.2 percent.Of the department employees who tested positive, 442 were uniformed officers and 70 were civilians, officials said. In a force of 36,000 officers, that translates to an infection rate of about one in every 80 officers, or about 1.2 percent.
Officials also reported the department’s second virus-related death: Giacomina Barr-Brown, a civilian employee and seven-year veteran who worked on patrol and administrative assignments. Ms. Barr-Brown died at her home on Thursday, the department said.Officials also reported the department’s second virus-related death: Giacomina Barr-Brown, a civilian employee and seven-year veteran who worked on patrol and administrative assignments. Ms. Barr-Brown died at her home on Thursday, the department said.
Earlier this week, Dennis Dickson, a custodian who worked at Police Headquarters, died from complications of the virus.Earlier this week, Dennis Dickson, a custodian who worked at Police Headquarters, died from complications of the virus.
The Police Department has been stepping up its role in enforcing restrictions on large crowds in the city, visiting stores, restaurants and bars to make sure they adhere to limits on gatherings. Officers patrolled the parks on Friday as warm, sunny weather brought more people into public spaces throughout the city. Mayor Bill de Blasio said on Friday that the police could begin issuing fines to those who disobey social-distancing rules. The Police Department has been stepping up its role in enforcing restrictions on large crowds in the city, visiting stores, restaurants and bars to make sure they adhere to limits on gatherings.
Officers patrolled the parks on Friday as warm, sunny weather brought more people into public spaces throughout the city. Mayor Bill de Blasio said on Friday that the police could begin issuing fines to those who disobey social-distancing rules.
Several governors this week ordered people traveling from New York to self-quarantine for two weeks upon arriving, hoping to stem the spread of the novel coronavirus in their states.
Gov. Gina Raimondo of Rhode Island has gone further.
Ms. Raimondo, a Democrat, said on Friday that state troopers would begin stopping drivers with New York license plates so that National Guard officials could collect contact information and inform anyone coming from New York that they were subject to a mandatory, 14-day quarantine.
Ms. Raimondo also said the National Guard would begin going door-to-door in coastal communities this weekend to find anyone who had recently arrived from New York and tell them of the quarantine order.
The National Guard had already been deployed to bus stations, train stations and the airport to enforce Ms. Raimondo’s order, which also applies to anyone who has been to New York in the past 14 days.
“I know it’s unusual. I know it’s extreme, and I know some people disagree with it,” Ms. Raimondo said at a news conference on Friday.
She added: “Right now we have a pinpointed risk. That risk is called New York City.”
Ms. Raimondo insisted that her emergency powers gave her the authority to impose the measures, but the American Civil Liberties Union called her move an “ill-advised and unconstitutional plan.”
Texas, Florida, Maryland and South Carolina are among the other states that have ordered people arriving from New York to self-quarantine.
Gov. Ned Lamont of Connecticut, where many wealthy New Yorkers own second homes, this week urged all travelers from New York City to self-quarantine for two weeks upon entering the state, but he stopped short of issuing an order requiring it.
Mayor Bill de Blasio of New York City has questioned the wisdom of such orders.
“I think there’s a little bit of a lack of recognition right now of just how much this disease has already spread around the country,” he said at a news briefing on Wednesday.
Though New York City public schools are closed, 9-year-old Trayvon Lee spent his Tuesday inside a school building on West 93rd Street in Manhattan.Though New York City public schools are closed, 9-year-old Trayvon Lee spent his Tuesday inside a school building on West 93rd Street in Manhattan.
“We are washing our hands all the time,” Trayvon said as his mother picked him up. “I just washed my hands before I left.”“We are washing our hands all the time,” Trayvon said as his mother picked him up. “I just washed my hands before I left.”
He attended one of New York City’s 93 new “regional enrichment centers” in schools across the city — part of a new program designed to provide free child care for those on the front lines of the pandemic. This week, thousands of public school students whose parents work in public health jobs returned to classrooms inside the centers.He attended one of New York City’s 93 new “regional enrichment centers” in schools across the city — part of a new program designed to provide free child care for those on the front lines of the pandemic. This week, thousands of public school students whose parents work in public health jobs returned to classrooms inside the centers.
The program, which opened on Monday and has so far enrolled roughly 8,000 children, provides a space where students can do class work at spaced-apart desks, eat three hot meals a day and learn how to protect themselves from the virus.The program, which opened on Monday and has so far enrolled roughly 8,000 children, provides a space where students can do class work at spaced-apart desks, eat three hot meals a day and learn how to protect themselves from the virus.
The enrichment centers are an attempt to compensate for some of what has been lost while the schools are shuttered — recreation, meals, and sometimes laundry. It is a major social experiment for the city.The enrichment centers are an attempt to compensate for some of what has been lost while the schools are shuttered — recreation, meals, and sometimes laundry. It is a major social experiment for the city.
“We’ve never done something like this before,” said Miranda Barbot, a spokeswoman for the New York City Department of Education. “We’ve made these centers available to thousands of families who need them, and are serving all of the ones who’ve said that they do.”“We’ve never done something like this before,” said Miranda Barbot, a spokeswoman for the New York City Department of Education. “We’ve made these centers available to thousands of families who need them, and are serving all of the ones who’ve said that they do.”
Two weeks ago, an unexpected cluster of coronavirus cases in New Rochelle, N.Y., seemed to be an unnerving sign that an outbreak that had devastated China and Italy was taking hold in the New York region and could spread rapidly.Two weeks ago, an unexpected cluster of coronavirus cases in New Rochelle, N.Y., seemed to be an unnerving sign that an outbreak that had devastated China and Italy was taking hold in the New York region and could spread rapidly.
The state took drastic measures that stirred a backlash, including creating a containment zone. But now, the latest data indicates that the measures may be starting to work.The state took drastic measures that stirred a backlash, including creating a containment zone. But now, the latest data indicates that the measures may be starting to work.
The outbreak, which Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo once said was advancing “unabated” in New Rochelle, has appeared to slow: Over the last four days, only 38 new cases were reported to Westchester County.The outbreak, which Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo once said was advancing “unabated” in New Rochelle, has appeared to slow: Over the last four days, only 38 new cases were reported to Westchester County.
“Everybody talks about flattening the curve, and I think that’s exactly what we were able to do in New Rochelle,” said Dr. Sherlita Amler, the Westchester health commissioner. “We know we can’t stop every single case, but our goal was to reduce the number of cases, and I do think the measures were successful in doing that.”“Everybody talks about flattening the curve, and I think that’s exactly what we were able to do in New Rochelle,” said Dr. Sherlita Amler, the Westchester health commissioner. “We know we can’t stop every single case, but our goal was to reduce the number of cases, and I do think the measures were successful in doing that.”
It was not the joyous homecoming Fatehi Darhan had dreamed about while he lay alone for two weeks in a hospital room in Queens, fighting the coronavirus. He came close to death. In a park along the Hudson River in Manhattan’s Battery Park City, New Yorkers are queuing up — six feet apart, of course — for their turn to play with a wall.
When he entered his small apartment in the Far Rockaway section of the borough and saw his three young children, their eyes longing for a fatherly hug, he fought every instinct to wrap his arms around them. It’s a gray slab surrounded by a chained fence that looks like it might have once been part of a racquetball court. A month ago, the drab-looking wall would have been easily overshadowed by the sleek private gyms close by.
“I froze,” Mr. Darhan, 34, said. “I wanted to hug them, but it did not feel safe. I don’t know when I would feel safe hugging them again.” But now locals are lining up to have their turn with it.
Mr. Darhan’s misgivings underscore the difficulties of returning to normal life after surviving a disease that has changed almost every aspect of living in New York City. Christian Jorg, 56, who runs two start-up accelerators, gets there at 7 a.m. “There is no system really,” he said. “It’s first come first served.”
Reporting was contributed by Nicole Hong, Sarah Maslin Nir, Jeffery C. Mays, Sharon Otterman, Edgar Sandoval, Nate Schweber and Liam Stack. An avid tennis player, he normally plays at a tennis club in Westchester. But now that it’s closed and he’s isolating, he’s playing against the wall.
“I don’t have any other choice,” he said. “But it’s actually fun. The ball comes back to me quickly, so I can do volleys and backhands. It’s also good for concentration.”
Zara Chadowitz, 35, a senior program manager at Amazon who lives in the West Village, refuses to disclose the location of her wall, which she discovered last week during a grocery run.
“I felt like it was the first day I was sort of winning Corona,” she said. “I hadn’t played tennis in so long. I got the exercise, the endorphins. There was a meditative aspect to it.”
She now feels as if she’s part of a secret community. “There was a cute old guy who was throwing a ball against a wall in his surgical gloves, and a basketball guy playing alone in a surgical mask,” she said. “It looks like people are using the wall for whatever they want.”
Reporting was contributed by Melina Delkic, Nicole Hong, Alyson Krueger, Sarah Maslin Nir, Jeffery C. Mays, Sharon Otterman, Nate Schweber, Ed Shanahan and Liam Stack.