Cuomo confirms 3rd coronavirus death in state
Photo/Mark Nash
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Three people in New York state have died of the novel coronavirus, Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced Sunday.
A 79-year-old woman died of the virus Sunday morning, Cuomo said at a press conference. An 82-year-old woman from Brooklyn and a 65-year-old man from Rockland County also died of the virus this week, the governor announced Saturday. All three had underlying health conditions.
The novel coronavirus causes COVID-19, a respiratory disease that has spread to at least 135 countries, infected 142,539 and killed over 5,000. New York state has 729 confirmed cases, none of which are in Onondaga County.
New York state has the most cases in the country, Cuomo said. Of the 729 confirmed cases of the virus, 137 patients are being hospitalized, he said. The number of cases correlates to the amount of testing states are conducting, he said.
Cuomo also called for private businesses to voluntarily close and mandate that employees work from home if possible. The state may mandate closings if needed, he said.
All non-essential state workers from Rockland County south, about half the state workforce, must stay home, Cuomo said.
Onondaga County Executive Ryan McMahon declared a state of emergency Saturday and announced a temporary closing of all schools starting Friday. Cuomo said schools in New York state should close only if they can assure families have available childcare and children who rely on free school meals are fed.