Majority Of New Coronavirus Cases In New York Are From People Staying At Home—Not Traveling Or Working

TOPLINE

New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo shared initial survey results of hospitalized coronavirus patients during a Wednesday press conference, which said 66% of respondents were at home before being admitted, showing that the virus has continued to spread during lockdown, even as New York prepares plans for an eventual reopening.

KEY FACTS

Crucial quote

“They’re not working, they’re not traveling, they’re predominantly downstate, predominantly minority, predominantly older,” said Cuomo. “Much of this comes down to what you do to protect yourself.”

Key background

The survey was conducted because while new COVID-19 hospitalizations are down in New York, they are declining at a much slower rate than Cuomo would like, he said. Cuomo did not provide an explanation as to why so many of the surveyed patients were coming from their homes, but he did say it reaffirms precautions such as mask-wearing and handwashing to protect more vulnerable people. Cuomo said he was surprised by the survey results, because he expected more patients would be essential workers or using public transportation. “That’s not the case,” he said.

Tangent

Cuomo also shared that an upstate agricultural greenhouse was experiencing an outbreak that he compared to the state’s first outbreak in New Rochelle, as well as outbreaks seen at meat plants across the country. “It’s not about meat or vegetables, it’s about worker density and large gatherings,” Cuomo said of the spread. 

Further reading

Hospitalization Rates and Characteristics of Patients Hospitalized with Laboratory-Confirmed Coronavirus Disease 2019 (CDC)

6 New Coronavirus Hotspots Around The U.S. Show Disease Still Spreading (Forbes)

NY Will Hire Contact Tracing ‘Army’ Of 17,000 To Battle Coronavirus, Cuomo Says (Forbes)

New COVID-19 Hospitalizations In N.Y. Drop Below 1,000 For First Day In A Month (Forbes)

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