The latest developments on the coronavirus pandemic for April 19, 2020
NEW YORK - FOX 5 NY is updating this blog with the latest developments on the coronavirus outbreak so you can get the information in one spot.
8:07 PM: Connecticut Governor Ned Lamont said in a tweet Sunday that another 412 people had tested positive for coronavirus, bringing the state’s total to 17,962. Another 41 had also died, bringing the state’s total to 1,127.
7:45 PM: Despite officials across New York asking coronavirus survivors to donate plasma and blood in order to potentially help people battling more severe cases of the disease, gay men say they are still being prevented from donating blood.
7:31 PM: Trump on cornavirus shutdown protests: “You’re allowed to protest.”
Trump also added that “some governors have gone too far”.
7:20 PM: Police issued at least 60 summonses after a barbershop in Canarsie hosted a large party on Saturday night.
6:48 PM: At his daily Coronavirus Task Force press conference, President Donald Trump said again that more Americans have been tested for coronavirus than anywhere else in the world and that the U.S. has a “tremendous capacity” for testing.
5:58 PM: Sources say luxury department store chain Neiman Marcus will file for bankruptcy as soon as this week, becoming the first major U.S. department store to succumb to the economic fallout from the coronavirus outbreak.
5:17 PM: The European Center for Disease Control says the continent now has more than 1 million confirmed cases and almost 100,000 deaths from the new coronavirus.
4:55 PM: A young boy in New York City is in a dire situation after receiving a brain cancer diagnosis amid the coronavirus outbreak.
4:21 PM: The coronavirus quarantine has contributed to a surge in the demand for prescription tranquilizers and sleep aids in the United States, as Americans continue to feel on edge about the uncertainty of the disease, according to a new research report.
3:43 PM: The coronavirus death toll in the U.S. has reached 40,585, according to Johns Hopkins University.
3:00 PM: The Trump administration and Congress are nearing an agreement as early as Sunday on an aid package of up to $450 billion to boost a small-business loan program that has run out of money and add funds for hospitals and COVID-19 testing.
2:23 PM: The coronavirus pandemic has claimed the life of Bennie Adkins, a Medal of Honor recipient and Vietnam War hero who died Friday.
1:51 PM: Despite the fear, sacrifice and isolation of coronavirus lockdowns all across the world, ordinary people are still trying to make a positive difference in the lives of others.
1:17 PM: New Jersey governor Phil Murphy has revealed his state’s latest coronavirus numbers:
According to Murphy, there are now 85,301 coronavirus cases in New Jersey, and another 132 people died, bringing the death toll to 4,202.
1:03 PM: Cuomo says President Trump is right that states have to step up on testing, but so does the federal government.
12:52 PM: Cuomo says the coronavirus numbers are purely contingent on how the population approaches dealing with the virus.
12:35 PM: Cuomo says that New York will open and rebuild not what was, but rebuild better and smarter.
12:33 PM: Cuomo says that he understands that people are getting cabin fever, and says that in New York, state parks are open and marinas are open, but beaches are still closed.
12:29 PM: Cuomo again expresses the need for states to receive federal funding in order to be able to reopen without making crippling cuts.
12:27 PM: Cuomo says New York will undertake the most aggressive statewide antibody testing survey in the nation over the next week in order to get a better idea of how much of the population contracted coronavirus.
12:24 PM: Cuomo says the second phase of the fight against coronavirus is beginning.
12:23 PM: Cuomo: “The recent news is good… only compared to the terrible news we were living with. It is no time to get cocky and no time to get arrogant.”
12:19 PM: Cuomo says that another 507 people died of coronavirus on Saturday, 474 in hospitals, 33 in nursing homes.
12:17 PM: Cuomo: “Nursing homes are still our #1 concern.”
12:16 PM: Cuomo says that despite the good news, another 1,300 people were still hospitalized on April 18.
12:15 PM: Cuomo says that all indications at this point are that the state is past the high point of the disease, but whether we stay on the descent is up to how we act. Currently over 16,213 people are hospitalized due to COVID-19 in New York.
12:13 PM: Governor Andrew Cuomo is giving an update on NY's coronavirus response. https://www.fox5ny.com/live
11:46 AM: Pressure mounted Sunday on governments to ease the economic pain of coronavirus lockdowns after protests from those fearing for their livelihoods. Authorities responded with a range of possible dates and solutions — and a few emphatic “not yets.”
10:56 AM: De Blasio ends coronavirus briefing.
10:54 AM: De Blasio says he doesn't like the notion of New Yorkers having to call in reports like that, but enforcement has to happen. If you don't like this crisis, you have to do something about it. The folks that still don't get it will have to pay a price. Anyone who is ignoring these instructions is putting other people's lives in danger. Our elders are in danger. Folks in their 60s, 70s, 80s, 90s, we are putting them in danger if we don't follow these rules. If you call 311, you are protecting your elders.
10:49 AM: De Blasio asked about police not knowing about disrupting Sabbath services and some Shoals being open and how it's being enforced? Where is that? 43rd Street in Brooklyn , 1321 43rd Street. I will talk with Commissioner Shea. I will order that there be police there for the next service.
10:45 AM: De Blasio asked about lack of field hospitals in the Bronx: The field hospital demands changed as the virus progressed. What are the needs of people now in the Bronx in terms of beds.
Dr. Katz: Our Bronx hospitals have fewer patients today than 10 days ago.
10:42 AM: De Blasio: If the President doesn't stand up, there will not be an economic recovery. Period. The only thing standing in the way is Republic ideology. It makes no sense. The business community will stand up.The hand of President Trump and Speaker McConnel will be forced to get us back on our feet.
10:39 AM: De Blasio asked to weigh in on members of city council to shut down subways to stop the spread. I respect that is a decision that the state has to make, they run the MTA, but the biggest challenge that would create for our frontline workers, our essential workers, but I don't know how they could get around. Most New Yorkers don't have a car. We need tight social distancing standards, and the MTA needs to do a better job that the right number of people is on the subway car, but the real question here is if we continue the number of non-essential workers, the subways should be able to function in a safe way. As we increase over time it gets more complex to maintain social distancing.
10:39 AM: De Blasio: Anyone who is gathering will be dispersed and last resort would be arrests.
10:35 AM: De Blasio: These new numbers show us that shelter in place and social distancing have been working but we've had a mixed bag in recent days.
Dr. Barbot: Some days we will see them go up, some days we will see them go down. We have to look at them in the broader picture.
10:29 AM: De Blasio asked how many times he's talked with President Trump and what was the mood. I've spoken to the President around 8 or 10 times in the last month or so. We agree fundamentally across the board almost but the first conversation we had was a very practical one. WHen the crisis was growing. We were able to talk about very specifically where we were going to get ppe, ventilators. But over a few weeks' time I saw real results from the White House, I valued it, but let's be clear that was just to help us survive. Now we're talking about how do we restart our economy. I've had this conversation with him, the Vice President and I've gotten nothing back. I have no idea what they think they will gain through their silence.
10:26 AM: De Blasio asked how many New Yorkers will become food insecure this year. And how is the city preparing for blackouts and blasting air conditioners at home? We have to monitor that. When it comes to food insecure, it's a hell of a lot of people. Projections say about half a million New Yorkers are unemployed and on the way to it.
10:23 AM: De Blasio asked about efforts to protect nursing homes It's all hands on deck. Whenever there are those independent hospitals that have less resources, nursing homes, we have given them ppes and support. We have taken some of our city volunteers and use them for the independent hospitals and nursing homes. That is staffing and that is also in terms of ppes.
10:20 AM: De Blasio asked about police responding to a rap party, video whatever it is, they issued 60 summonses and arrested two people with guns. This was a huge gathering. A comment from you. My message is this is not business as usual. I say, thank you to all the officers who broke that up.
10:19 AM: Dr. Barbot it wasn't until recently that we learned that someone asymptomatic could transfer the disease. I would limit visits to elderly and those at greatest risks.
Dr. Katz: On the plasma treatment, the people who are known positive, the people with the most antibodies had a major disease. It may come a time when we are able to test other people as well, but right now we're focused on people with a known positive.
10:13 AM: De Blasio asked if he'd support an independent review of the outbreak in NYC The most important thing we can do is secure a consistent testing supply. We have to look at all the reasons. I think it will come down to that when you are in a densely populated area and with a lack of healthcare this disease has furtile ground.
10:09 AM: De Blasio asked about people have issues getting food. Is there a plan to have a desk for people at a site in the Bronx where de Blasio visited distribution work there. We need to fix it. This is a vast, vast endeavor. We are projecting distributing 10 million meals in April. We found out the hard way that 311 wasn't up to the standards we needed. There has been a rapid overhaul. Members in the media, keep testing that system. For anyone who did not get a food delivery, call 311 again. At distribution centers and local food pantries and soup kitchens, those 435 school sites, they will also make sure to get you registered at those sites. We have the food, we have the drivers.
10:09 AM: De Blasio begins q and a.
10:08 AM: De Blasio makes statement in Spanish.
10:06 AM: De Blasio: Mr. Trump are you going to save New York City or are you going to tell New York City to drop dead? He's been amazingly silent on the stimulus. How about liberating New York City?
10:03 AM: De Blasio: The daily number hospitalized is 317. The number in ICU is down to 849. The positive cases at city labs is at 38 percent and at 84 percent at public health labs.
10:01 AM: De Blasio: If you see anyone violating social distancing rules, text 311-692 or through the 311 app or send it to NYC.gov
9:57 AM: De Blasio: Keep social distancing during the Spring season. Police and parks department will be enforcing social distancing.
You can continue watching the briefing from Mayor Bill de Blasio here and on our Facebook page:
9:55 AM: De Blasio: There is something we can do to protect ourselves and each other. We can help people recover. Folks who have tested positive and have recovered need to give blood. Studies are showing that the plasma in your blood can help others. There are a number of hospitals conducting trials and we are seeing promising results. Go to NYC.gov/COVIDplasma for more information to donate.
9:46 AM: De Blasio: Don't underestimate this virus. Practice smart rules to protect health care workers. We also need to continue to get them the tools they need. We are sending 600 personnel to the independent hospitals that need it. We have connected 1400 volunteers to over 40 hospitals and 40 nursing homes.
Mayor Bill de Blasio holds coronavirus briefing at this LINK: https://fox5ny.com/live
8:49 AM: The representative for disgraced actor and comedian Bill Cosby is asking for his client to be released early from jail citing concern that his medical history could make him vulnerable to the coronavirus.
8:40 AM: The wife of Tony Award-nominated actor Nick Cordero, who specialized in playing tough guys on Broadway, says her husband will have to have his right leg amputated after suffering complications from the coronavirus.