NY Gov. Andrew Cuomo at today’s press conference
March 30, 2020 By Allie Griffin
The novel coronavirus has killed 256 Queens residents since the pandemic began and more than 1,218 residents across New York state, according to the latest data.
Statewide, more than 250 New Yorkers died overnight and the number of COVID-19 cases grew to 66,497, Governor Andrew Cuomo said at a press briefing today.
“That’s a lot of loss, that’s a lot of pain, that’s a lot of tears, that’s a lot of grief that people all across the state are feeling,” Cuomo said.
The virus took the lives of three Queens residents overnight — compared to the nearly 50 residents who died in one night from Friday to Saturday due to COVID-19 complications.
In total, 256 Queens residents have died of coronavirus and 11,868 residents have contracted the disease, as of 10:30 a.m. this morning, according to City Department of Health data.
The World’s Borough continues to be the worst hit by the coronavirus pandemic. Across the five boroughs, there are now 36,221 cases and 790 deaths.
Cuomo continues to take steps to stop the spread. He announced Sunday that the he is extending his order that mandates nonessential workers to say home another two weeks through April 15.
President Donald Trump also said yesterday that he is extending the national social distancing guidelines through April 30 — backtracking his earlier remarks that people would be going back to work by Easter.
The goal of the measures is to slow the spread of the virus, so that it doesn’t overwhelm the healthcare system — but New York City hospitals are already facing unprecedented challenges.
The City’s 911 system has been overwhelmed by callers with coronavirus symptoms. Typically, the number receives about 4,000 calls a day, but last Thursday, the line got more than 7,000 — a number not seen since the 9/11 attacks.
The record for amount of calls in one day was broken three times in the last week, according to the New York Times.
The virus is also putting a strain on the NYPD, who have been tasked with enforce social distancing measures on New York City streets and parks.
Nearly 5,000 officers — or about 14 percent of the NYPD force — were out sick Sunday and Police Commissioner Dermot Shea said the number of officers with confirmed cases of COVID-19 could likely jump to 900 Monday, according to the New York Post.
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