NY Lawmakers Make Coronavirus Cash Claims After CDC Alert

NEW YORK CITY — As the nation waited for President Donald Trump to unveil federal plans to combat novel coronavirus, amid complaints his administration botched its response, New York lawmakers made their claims for cash.

"Localities ultimately have to be reimbursed or we're not going be able to do this,"said Mayor Bill de Blasio at a coronavirus press conference Wednesday. "We're going to run out of money real quick."

New York City has already made 12,000 hospital beds available for future novel coronavirus patients — as of Wednesday, there were no cases reported in the five boroughs — and handed out more than 1.5 million masks, de Blasio said.

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The city is on a "a long waiting list" to receive 300,000 more masks for medical providers from the federal government, according Health Department Commissioner Oxiris Barbot.

"We will need federal assistance to get them," de Blasio said.

Meanwhile, Sen. Chuck Schumer released his $8.5 billion plan for federal spending and chastised the Trump administration for the $1.25 billion emergency funds released Monday for an amount that was "too little and too late."

Schumer's plan demands $1.5 billion for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, $3 billion for the Public Health and Social Services Emergency Fund, $2 billion set-aside for state and local reimbursements, $1 billion for the USAID Emerging Health Threats—Emergency Reserve Fund and $1 billion for the National Institutes of Health to develop a vaccine.

"Time is of the essence," Schumer said. "Americans need to know that their government is prepared to handle the situation before coronavirus spreads to our communities."

And as Schumer made his demand for billions, New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo released $40 million to go to the State Department of Health to fund any staff an equipment they might need.

"The threat that you don't take seriously is the one that becomes serious," Cuomo said. "Our operating paradigm is always prepare for the worst and hope for the best."

New York State had 27 cases tested with negative with one case testing, outside of New York City, as of Wednesday, the governor said.

The global novel coronavirus death toll rose to 2,770 Wednesday with more than 81,000 confirmed cases.

This rush to address the novel coronavirus came one day after CDC officials issued Tuesday a nationwide warning that it was only a question of time until it spread in the U.S.