A Glimmer Of Hope In New York: Hospitalization And Death Rates Start To Stabilize, But Cuomo Remains Cautious
New York's monumental efforts to flatten the curve may be paying off as the first signs of hope emerge from this week's infection numbers. But Gov. Andrew Cuomo warns against getting reckless or complacent. “Some suggest basically the curve goes up and then drops precipitously," Cuomo said. "Some suggest a slight pause at the top. Some suggest there’s a longer pause at the top, which is effectively a plateau effect, or again the straight up and straight down precipitous drop, which is the peak effect. No one can tell you which will occur.”
The New York Times:
Despite Staggering Death Toll, Outbreak Could Be Slowing
New York, the epicenter of the global coronavirus outbreak, has begun to show the first signs of controlling the crisis: Its staggering death and hospitalization rates have started to stabilize, according to figures released by Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo on Monday. But striking a note of optimistic caution, Mr. Cuomo warned that the state’s progress could continue only if New Yorkers maintained a sense of discipline and suppressed their natural impulse to gather in the parks or on the streets, especially as the spring weather starts improving. (Feuer, 4/6)
The New York Times:
When Will N.Y.C. Reach The Peak Of The Outbreak? Here’s What We Know
Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo has said in the past week that he believes the number of coronavirus cases in New York will hit its high point this week, and then hopefully begin to drop. But even he acknowledges the uncertainty of that prediction. “The projection models have a number of alternatives,” he said at a news conference on Monday. “Some suggest basically the curve goes up and then drops precipitously. Some suggest a slight pause at the top. Some suggest there’s a longer pause at the top, which is effectively a plateau effect, or again the straight up and straight down precipitous drop, which is the peak effect. No one can tell you which will occur.” (Goldstein, 4/6)
The Washington Post:
New York Leaders Hopeful Coronavirus Is Peaking, Flattening
“While none of this is good news, the possible flattening of the curve is better than the increases we have seen,” Cuomo said during a news conference. Two days of data is not nearly enough to identify a trend, but officials said there were other glimmers of hope, including significant declines in the past two days in the number of new people hospitalized, admitted to intensive care units and intubated. (Guarino, Craig and Barrett, 4/6)
Reuters:
Outbreak Shows Signs Of Leveling Off In New York, New Jersey, But Vigilance Urged
Although coronavirus cases and deaths continued to mount, the governors cited data suggesting the rates of growth and hospitalizations were slowing, possibly signaling a peak was at hand in three U.S. epicenters of the pandemic. New York Governor Andrew Cuomo said statewide deaths from COVID-19, the highly contagious respiratory illness caused by the virus, were up 599 from Sunday, on par with an increase of 594 during the previous 24 hours and 630 on Friday. The state’s overall tally of confirmed cases grew by 7% from the previous day to 130,680. But hospitalizations, admissions to intensive care units and the number of patients put on ventilator machines to keep them breathing had all declined, Cuomo said. (Layne and Szekely, 4/6)
NBC News:
New York Coronavirus Deaths 'Effectively Flat' As U.S. Braces For Peak Cases In Hot Spots
New York remains at the center of the coronavirus outbreak with more than one-third of all cases in the United States and about half of the deaths, which has put a tremendous strain on the state's health care system. Medical workers have complained about the lack of personal protective equipment and the need for more resources, including staffing, as the crisis deepens. Two field hospitals in Manhattan — one in Central Park and the other at the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center — have been operating in full swing to relieve overburdened hospitals. (Ortiz, 4/6)
Politico:
Murphy: Curve Flattening In New Jersey But ‘This Is Not Over. And Not By A Long Shot.’
It’s been two weeks since New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy ordered residents to stay in their homes and avoid outside contact in an attempt to halt the unprecedented destruction being wrought by the coronavirus pandemic. On Monday, the same day New Jersey’s total number of Covid-19 deaths surpassed 1,000, Murphy said those efforts are beginning to show fruit. (Sutton, 4/6)
CNN:
NY Mayor Says Rumors Of Temporary Burials In Public Parks Are 'Totally False'
After a city councilman said New York may need to bury coronavirus victims in a city park as morgues run out of room, Mayor Bill de Blasio made it clear Monday there are no such plans and that such rumors are "totally false." '"There will never, ever be anything like 'mass graves' or 'mass internment' in New York City ever," de Blasio said. (Morales, Joseph and McLaughlin, 4/6)
The Washington Post:
Coronavirus In New York: A Queens Funeral Home Struggles As Bodies Mount
The phone began ringing before the front doors were open. “Neufeld Funeral Home, how can I help you?” said Joe Neufeld Jr., still in shorts and a T-shirt and operating on little sleep. “Yes. Okay. And what was your father’s name?” The days were blurring together and now another was underway at the small brick building with the faded maroon awning in the Elmhurst neighborhood of New York City — “The epicenter of the epicenter,” as Joe’s father described their increasingly dire position. (McCrummen, 4/4)
The New York Times:
One Final Step For 52 Medical Students, Eager To Join The Fight
From dorm rooms and apartments, 52 medical students watched video of themselves roll across their screens. Miles away, their proud families followed online. Gazing into webcams, the students pledged the Hippocratic oath in frayed unison, dozens of different starts and voices, all coming to the same point. They could get on with doctoring. On Friday, a virtual graduation was held over video chat for nearly half the 2020 class at New York University’s Grossman School of Medicine. (Dwyer, 4/6)
The Wall Street Journal:
New York’s Ultra-Orthodox Jewish Community Warned About Large Funeral Crowds
New York officials on Monday urged ultra-Orthodox Jewish communities to follow social-distancing rules after police broke up crowds at three religious funerals in Brooklyn over the weekend. New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo said at a news conference that he would double the maximum fines to $1,000 for people who flout the rules. “This is my way of saying, this is serious,” Mr. Cuomo said, referencing large ultra-Orthodox gatherings. “What right do you have to act irresponsibly in a way that could get you sick?” (Berger and Chapman, 4/6)
