Governor Andrew Cuomo announced today that the first confirmed case of coronavirus on Long Island has been identified in Nassau County. The governor outlined the current statistics for the state saying that New York now has 22 confirmed cases statewide with 11 new positive tests since yesterday. Of the new cases:
- 8 are in Westchester, all mild or no symptoms
- 2 are in NYC, both individuals hospitalized
- 1 is in Nassau County, a 42-year-old man, also hospitalized
The name of the hospital where the Nassau County man went was not immediately available.
Related story: Long Island hospitals have said they are prepared for a coronavirus outbreak.
To allay fears, the governor also said in a tweet that 80% of the people who get the coronavirus will self-resolve.
Suffolk County Executive Steve Bellone released a statement today saying that all departments within Suffolk County conducted a tabletop exercise regarding the Coronavirus.
“The training event allowed us to assess and evaluate preparedness, run through possible scenarios, and ensure each department is familiar with procedures and protocols so that we can guarantee our response is as efficient and effective as possible. As this situation continues to evolve, Suffolk residents should know that the County Government is doing everything possible to confront and contain it.”
Related story: Long Island companies said they are grappling with the effect the outbreak is having on business.
NYS Senator Chuck Shumer also announced that New York State will be getting $33 million in emergency Federal funding to fight coronavirus as part of an $8 billion emergency spending bill passed in the Senate. The funds will cover lab testing, virus monitoring, infection control and mitigation, virus preparedness, reimbursements for local hospitals and agencies dealing with coronavirus.
This is a breaking news story and we will continue to monitor for updates.