Suffolk Coronavirus: Hospitalizations Declining, Bellone Said

SUFFOLK COUNTY, NY — Hospitalizations have dramatically declined in Suffolk, County Executive Steve Bellone said during his Sunday briefing. However, the number of deaths reported daily continued to rise.

He reported that 825 Suffolk residents have died, up from 693 three days ago.

"Those numbers speak for themselves; they are staggering," he said. "To all those families who have been affected, our thoughts and prayers are with you."

Last Sunday was the first time the county saw a drop in the number of people hospitalized, but the numbers bounced up and down over the week, he said. "The question was, were we on a downward trajectory?

"We have now seen the steepest decline in hospitalizations to date — 97 fewer people hospitalized this Sunday," he said. "It's the fourth day in a row of declines."

Plus he cited 124 people who were discharged from the hospital and are now back home recovering. "That is great news," he said.

However, he said, it's not the end of the road, because many people are still in the hospital with severe cases of COVID-19 — "1,441 people, that's still an incredibly high number."

In addition, he said, about a thousand people a day are testing positive as the county and state continue the aggressive testing program in Suffolk.

He said officials are talking to Washington, DC about providing temporary tax relief for Suffolk residents.

Under the federal relief bill, the CARES act, only counties with more than a 2 million population are able to access a short term borrowing program. Suffolk, the 26th largest county in the country and one of the hardest-hit by the coronavirus pandemic, only has 1.5 million people.

Bellone said he is sending a letter to the Secretary of the Treasury asking that the guidance be shifted to allow counties of Suffolk's size to have access to that opportunity.

As the shut-down enters its second month, he brought residents up to date on one of the great challenges: meal programs for children who are eligible for free or reduced-price breakfasts and lunches at school.

"More than a million meals have been delivered to date," he said, praising the school districts. "They are doing a tremendous job when it comes to providing the meals that these kids need."