Hard Hit NYC Hospital Has First Day Without Coronavirus Death

NEW YORK CITY — For the first time since the new coronavirus hit New York, it claimed no lives in a Montefiore hospital Thursday.

"Zero COVID patient deaths yesterday!" said Montefiore Medicine CEO Dr. Philip O. Ozuah said in an email obtained by Patch.

"First time since pandemic hit."

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The Montefiore hospital system in The Bronx was among the hardest hit by the virus, which arrived in New York City more than two months ago.

But that didn't stop doctors and nurses from finding and celebrating moments of victory.

Whenever a COVID-19 patient is taken off a ventilator or discharged from the hospital, Alicia Keye's "Empire State of Mind" is blasted through the hospital's public address system.

The classic song played every time a battle was won.

This news comes as the virus abates and New York City prepares to reopen its economy, the first phase of which is expected to occur in the first two weeks of June.

Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced Friday 67 New Yorkers lost their lives to COVID-19 Thursday, a number he said was, "the lowest level ever."

Since the pandemic began, an estimated 21,477 New York City dwellers have lost their lives to the virus.

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