60 dead from coronavirus in NYC as statewide cases skyrocket to more than 10,000; Cuomo warns young people: ‘You’re not Superman’

Sixty people have died from coronavirus in New York City, as statewide cases jumped to over 10,000 on Saturday, officials said.

Some 8,115 people had tested positive for the virus in the city as of 6 p.m., helping make New York the global epicenter of the pandemic.

“New York City is the most dense environment,” Gov. Andrew Cuomo said Saturday. “This virus spreads in dense environments.”

New York’s deaths are a significant portion of all the deaths in the U.S. As of Saturday morning, 266 Americans were reported to have died of the disease.

The governor criticized young people for not heeding the warning to avoid unnecessary contact with others. City parks were crowded Friday as unseasonably warm temperatures sent New Yorkers out to jog, ride bikes and play with their children.

Fewer people were out on Saturday as chilly weather returned, but Cuomo warned that sunbathing is not an essential activity.

“You’re not Superman and you’re not superwoman,” Cuomo said. “You can get this virus. And you can transfer the virus. And you can wind up hurting someone who you love or hurting someone wholly inadvertently.

“You need social distancing everywhere. There’s a significant amount of noncompliance, especially in New York City, especially in the parks,” he said. “It has to be stopped.”

The governor still urged New Yorkers to not panic about the growing numbers.
 

“This is not a science fiction movie,” Cuomo said. “You get sick, you get symptoms, you recover ... Keep it in perspective.”

Cuomo said he has not been tested for coronavirus because he believes he hasn’t been exposed and feels no symptoms.

A member of his press team tested positive for the virus Friday morning and everyone who worked near the person was put under precautionary quarantine, secretary to the governor Melissa DeRosa said.

Cuomo confirmed that New York grocery and drug stores would stay open, and vowed to not lock down transportation, such as roadblocks or airport shutdowns.

All non-essential businesses have been ordered to close by Sunday evening.

As of 6 p.m. Saturday, coronavirus sickened 2,484 people in Brooklyn, 2,254 people in Queens, 1,868 in Manhattan, 1,071 in the Bronx and 437 in Staten Island, the mayor’s office said.

At least 1,450 people were hospitalized, including 370 people in intensive care units.

Cuomo defended the state’s handling of the crisis including ramped-up testing and treatment. State officials plan to send 1 million N95 masks to New York City and 500,000 to Long Island, and buying 6,000 ventilators that will be in place in coming weeks.

The governor said the virus was slowing down in some hot spots, like Westchester County. The state imposed a containment area in the city of New Rochelle, and the decline in Westchester “suggest that that has been helpful,” Cuomo said.

“Everything that can be done is being done,” the governor said.

He attributed the fast-growing number of positive coronavirus tests to a vast expansion of testing. New York has tested more than 40,000 people — about twice as many as California and Washington state, which are the second and third-highest states.