Suffolk Coronavirus: Grim 'Milestone;' Cases Up By 1,400 In A Day

SUFFOLK COUNTY, NY — Deaths related to the new coronavirus skyrocketed across New York Friday, as Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced more than 600 new deaths from the virus — and in Suffolk County, a grim "milestone" was reached as the number of confirmed cases increased by 1,400 in a day.

The governor said more parts of the state could become hot spots and Long Island continued to "light up" with new cases. As of Friday evening, there were 10,860 confirmed cases of coronavirus in Suffolk County.

"There's an increase on Long Island that we are concerned about," Cuomo said. "Long Island does not have as elaborate a health care system and we see an increase in the number of cases on Long Island that has us very concerned."

Cuomo said statewide, coronavirus cases hit 102,863 Friday. The death toll hit 2,935, up more than 600 from Thursday.

On Friday, Cuomo issued an executive order to have the National Guard "share" unused ventilators and redeploy them to parts of the state where they are needed the most.

Cuomo said the goal is the "sharing and shifting of resources" to save lives.

"Several hundred ventilators could represent several hundred lives," Cuomo said. "Am I willing to inconvenience people and deploy the National Guard to save several hundred lives? You’re damned right I am."

The ventilators will either be paid for or returned, Cuomo said.

Personal protective equipment, including masks, gowns and gloves, is also desperately needed.

"We need companies to make the material," he said. "It is unbearable to me that in New York State, in the United States of America, we can't make this material and we are shopping China. These are not complex materials."

Cuomo said he would work with New York manufacturers to finance the transition necessary to make the materials.

Sick officers

On the issue of sick police officers, Cuomo said the high rate of illness among first responders remains a problem across the board, including in Nassau and Suffolk Counties. State police could be asked to come in as backup for local police departments.

Town breakdown

As of late Friday, the town breakdown of new cases of coronavirus across Suffolk County were as follows:

Islip: 2,357

Babylon: 1,637

Huntington: 1,557

Brookhaven: 1,560

Smithtown: 519

Southold: 176

Southampton: 170

Riverhead: 127

East Hampton: 40

Shelter Island: 2

Some cases have not been identified by location yet, county officials said.

In total, Bellone said Friday, more than 24,000 people have been tested, with an additional 1,400 cases reported in a day, a "milestone," he said.

The number of hospitalized patients with coronavirus has also increased by 244 in a day, bringing the total hospitalized to 1,298 countywide. Of those, 401 are in ICU, an increase of 87.

Suffolk County's hospital bed capacity has increased by 206, with a total of 3,087 countywide; there are now 561 ICU beds across the county, Bellone said. However, of that number, 648 hospital beds are available and 43 ICU beds are available.

Bellone said hospital capacity will continue to expand in the coming days and, should beds or ICU beds not be available, patients would be sent upstate or to New York City to be treated, as per Cuomo's directive that the health care system is now one, sharing supplies and staff.

There are 483 ventilators in Suffolk County with 136 available, said Suffolk County Legislator Bridget Fleming.

The good news, Bellone said, is that a total of 398 have been released from the hospital, 93 in the last day.

New deaths

Nine more people died since Thursday, bringing Suffolk County's total number of coronavirus deaths to 93; the age range of those who died was from 40s to mid-90s, he said.

"This is the medical equivalent of a war zone"

Health care workers, Bellone said, are operating in dire conditions for long hours. "This is the medical equivalent of a war zone," he said. "That is what they are going into, 24 hours a day, every day."

Supplies, he said, continue to be limited; he applauded Cuomo's executive order to deploy equipment as needed. "Including Long Island. This is where the battle is happening and this is where the supplies are needed," he said.

Bellone also said that efforts should be expanded nationally, with supplies and equipment sent from across the nation. "The crisis is now. This is happening now. We need the supplies now," he said.

Local businesses step up

Bellone also thanked local manufacturers joining the effort to make supplies, including 71 Visuals in Happaugaue, owned by Brian Geiger, a sign maker who has shifted to making face shields; the county has purchased 25,000, he said.

Any company looking to donate supplies or who want to help manufacture them should email scdfres@suffolkyny.gov.

A place to file enforcement complaints

Those who witness PAUSE violations, including the operation of nonessential businesses and those congregating despite social distancing protocols are asked to call 1-833-789-0470.

New map

A new countywide map of coronavirus cases was unveiled Thursday, showing locations of cases by town and hamlet. View the Suffolk County coronavirus map.

'Staggering' unemployment

Nationwide, Suffolk County Executive Steve Bellone said, unemployment is "stark and staggering," with 6.6 million applying for benefits last week.

"It's hard to even describe how extraordinary that is," Bellone said.

The 3.3 million number that preceded the surge had already "shattered every record that existed," he said. The last such record was seen during the 1982 recession.

Bellone also discussed the struggle of small businesses and the Suffolk County business recovery unit that was created, a "one-stop" shopping resource for businesses in need. A survey launched has received 1,200 responses representing 13,700 employees; nearly 7,000 have been laid off or furloughed, Bellone said.

Downtowns are facing particular hardships, he said, adding a "strategic and targeted" recovery is needed there. Industries particularly hard it include the service industries, construction and retail, he said.

Bellone urged small business owners to go the business recovery unit for resources and information. The county, he said, is working to develop its own ideas and options to help small businesses.

ProHEALTH opening testing to all first responders

ProHEALTH is opening testing on a priority basis to all first responders with symptoms of the coronavirus, Bellone said. Those who want to get tested should call 516-874-0411.

Governor talks ventilators

Ventilators remain the most critical issue, Cuomo said Thursday.

While there are 53,000 statewide hospital beds available statewide, only 6,000 are available downstate. "By any estimate, we don't have the number of beds" needed, he said, adding that extraordinary measures have been taken to expand capacity.

But beds are not as urgent a concern as ventilators, Cuomo said. With 22,000 stockpiled in New York, about 350 individuals need them per night. "So 2,200 disappears very quickly," he said. "At the current rate of burn we have enough in the stockpile for six days."

A total of 400 ventilators were sent to New York City, and 200 to Long Island and Westchester, Cuomo said.

With feverish efforts ongoing to secure ventilators, Cuomo said if the apex hits sooner than the six days, there will be issues. He said he has no desire to acquire ventilators that aren't necessary.

"They are very expensive and the state is broke," he said. "But we need what we need."

He added: "If a person comes in and needs a ventilator and we don't have one, the person dies. That's the blunt equation here."

He has said New York needs approximately 30,000 ventilators to meet the demand at its peak.

That being said, other plans are being formulated, to use anesthesia machines and BiPAP machines as ventilators; the BiPAP have a slower rate of oxygen, he said. Also a new process has been devised to split one ventilator in order to help two patients at one; 7,000 handheld, rubber ventilators, that would require many hospital workers to keep running continuously, were also ordered.

"The burn rate is troubling but we have all these other extraordinary measures. I believe if push comes to shove, it will put us in fairly good shape," Cuomo said.

Landscaping changes

Also on Wednesday, county officials said there were new changes to rules as they pertained to landscaping: "At this time, horticulture is designated as a non-essential business — with the exception of nurseries/greenhouses selling food-producing plants," officials said. Landscaping for maintenance and pest control purposes has been designated as essential.

Crime drops

New coronavirus deaths were reported in Suffolk County Tuesday as crime took a dramatic nosedive. Bellone said more than 1,000 new coronavirus cases were reported in 24 hours.

'Who else has to die'

Cuomo has said the apex of the pandemic is expected at the end of April. If people fail to follow social distancing rules, 110,000 beds and 37,000 ventilators will be needed for the sick.

"We have to succeed," Cuomo said. "We have to find a way. There is too much at stake."

To that end, Cuomo shut down all New York City playgrounds Wednesday but kept open spaces available for people to walk or run while maintaining social distance.

He blasted those who refuse to comply: "Who else has to die for you to understand? You have a responsibility, especially in New York where everything is so dense."

But, he added, it's important to realize the people do recover from coronavirus. His brother, CNN anchor Chris Cuomo, was diagnosed with the coronavirus Tuesday and is at home with a fever and chills. On Thursday, Cuomo spoke with his brother live and the two shared laughs but also moments of serious discussion. "I have never been more proud of you," the governor told his younger brother. "I love you."

"Anyone can get this disease," Cuomo said. "Relatively young, strong people. Those who take their vitamins and go to the gym. There is no superhero who is immune from this disease."

A Long Island native who just got home from the hospital Tuesday also shared his experience with coronavirus with Patch.