St. John’s Episcopal Hospital in Far Rockaway (Google Maps)
March 9, 2020 By Allie Griffin
At least two cases of the novel coronavirus have been confirmed in Queens — as the total rises to 19 in the city and 142 in the state.
The first case in Queens is an Uber driver who is currently hospitalized at St. John’s Episcopal in Far Rockaway, Mayor Bill de Blasio announced Saturday.
The 33-year-old male driver contracted pneumonia related to COVID-19 and is in stable condition at the hospital. His wife, three children, and four in-laws are in isolation at home and are asymptomatic, de Blasio said.
The driver wasn’t licensed to pick up passengers in New York City and did all his driving on Long Island, de Blasio added. However, he could drop people off in the city from Long Island, according to the New York Times.
More than 40 staff members of the Far Rockaway hospital where the Uber driver is being treated are in voluntary isolation, the mayor said.
The mayor said another case in Queens has been confirmed as one of the new cases of coronavirus announced today in an interview with NY1 this morning. The details of that case have not yet been released.
Governor Andrew Cuomo declared a state of emergency on Saturday, when the number of COVID-19 cases hit 76 across the state.
The head of the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, Rick Cotton, has also contracted the coronavirus and will be working from home, Governor Cuomo, announced today.
Cotton has been overseeing airports, including John F. Kennedy Airport in Queens, where people who have the virus have been flying back to the U.S., Cuomo added.
The governor also announced that the state will begin making its own 75-percent-alcohol hand sanitizer and distribute it to governmental agencies including schools, the MTA and prisons.
The announcement comes after hand sanitizer prices have risen dramatically and the product has flown off shelves.
In response to the product’s unavailability and price gouging, the state will begin making 100,000 gallons per week and will first distribute it in New Rochelle — which has become a hotspot for coronavirus after a New Rochelle man contracted the virus last week.
The state also set a policy for school closures.
If a student tests positive for Coronavirus in a school, that school will be closed for a 24-hour period while officials perform an assessment of the situation. State officials will then determine whether to close the school for a longer period — even weeks — if necessary, Gov. Cuomo said.
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3 Comments
“His wife, three children, and four in-laws are in isolation at home and are asymptomatic, de Blasio said.”
Probably every one illegal. Open borders kill.
Schools should close immediately if a student contracts the virus as they can possibly infect others and their parents!
Remember that 80% of people who contract it will have mild symptoms. The other 20% that are elderly, have immunity or have a preexisting condition can have worse symptoms and get hospitalized.
Please stay informed and alert, don’t panic and spread misinformation. The World Health Organization and the CDC are good sources for information. Hopefully we can contain this disease and get past this.