Over the past week COVID-19, better known as the coronavirus, has continued to spread throughout Onondaga County, with the total number of cases up to 277 cases, 14 of which are in critical condition. One of the first cases in Onondaga County, an elderly woman, resulted in the county’s first death related to COVID-19. Since then there has been one more death in Onondaga County, another woman over the age of 60.

According to local sources, 27 healthcare workers at Syracuse hospitals have caught the virus. Upstate University Hospital confirmed today that 16 of its employees, as well as two students have tested positive for coronavirus. Crouse Hospital reported Wednesday four employees have tested positive, while St. Joseph’s Health stated seven employees have the virus. 

Throughout New York State cases have skyrocketed, with 92,381 total cases, the majority of those being in the New York City Metropolitan Area. New York State’s cases account for 41% of the United States 226,384 total cases. Over 2,600 New Yorkers have died from the coronavirus thus far, with hundreds more in critical condition.

Concerns regarding the federal supply of ventilators have increased over the past week as states vie for ventilators and other medical equipment.  “If a person comes in and needs a ventilator and you don’t have a ventilator, the person dies,” New York State Governor Andrew Cuomo stated at his daily briefing in Albany. “That’s the blunt equation here. And right now we have a burn rate that would suggest we have about six days in the stockpile.”

“Throughout New York State cases have skyrocketed, with 92,381 total cases, the majority of those being in the New York City Metropolitan Area.”

New York has shut all non-essential businesses, with only a few lines of work, deemed “essential businesses,” remaining open. There have been various adjustments to the list of essential businesses, one example being New York rolling back restrictions on residential and commercial real estate.

More than 6.6 million people filed claims for unemployment benefits last week, the Labor Department said Thursday, setting another record for the second straight week. The latest claims brought the two-week total to nearly 10 million. The speed and scale of the job losses is without precedent. Before last month, the worst week for unemployment filings was 695,000 back in 1982. 

Fears of a recession have been on the table for over a month, as tens of thousands of businesses close, and millions are laid off from work. “What usually takes months or quarters to happen in a recession is happening in a matter of weeks,” said Michelle Meyer, chief U.S. economist for Bank of America Merrill Lynch. However, despite the magnitude of layoffs, President Trump sent out a tweet early April 2nd stating, “Just spoke to my friend MBS (Crown Prince) of Saudi Arabia, who spoke with President Putin of Russia, & I expect & hope that they will be cutting back approximately 10 Million Barrels, and maybe substantially more which, if it happens, will be GREAT for the oil & gas industry!”. As a result of this the S&P 500 was up 2 percent, with energy and oil stocks leading the gains.

“IF A PERSON COMES IN AND NEEDS A VENTILATOR AND YOU DON’T HAVE A VENTILATOR, THE PERSON DIES.”

All schools in New York State remained closed through April 13th, with schools in Onondaga County closed through April 14. It was also recently announced that spring break in New York state is cancelled. Students will continue to receive online education, as well as food services. New York cancelled spring break in hopes to reduce spring break travel, as well as the continuation of providing food services.

At his daily press briefing Governor Cuomo stated that the apex of the virus is likely to arrive in New York towards the end of April, leaving an unprecedented loss of life in its wake. This is a grim reality for the state, as New York already accounts for 9.2% of the world’s total coronavirus cases.

Other daily statistics from the governor:

Deaths in New York State: 2,373, up 432 from 1,941 on Wednesday. New York now accounts for 42 percent of the 5,708 virus-related deaths in the United States.

Confirmed cases: 92,381 in New York State, up from 83,712. New York City has nearly 52,000.

Hospitalized in New York State: 13,383, up from 12,226.

In intensive care in New York State: 3,396, up from 3,022

For more information regarding COVID-19 please refer to:

CDC: Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19)

World Health Organization: Coronavirus

Johns Hopkins Live Map: Coronavirus COVID-19 (2019-nCoV)

health.ny.gov: Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19)

syracuse.com: Post-Standard

Central New York School Closures: List of CNY schools closing due to coronavirus