A state of emergency was declared by New York Governor Andrew Cuomo as the number of novel Coronavirus cases effluxes across the US.
Cuomo said there are 57 confirmed cases in Westchester County, 2 in Saratoga County, 4 in Nassau County, 2 in Rockland County, as well as 11 cases in New York City. “We are testing aggressively,” said Cuomo. “The more positives you find, the better,”
He further explained that New York State is allowed to use additional powers during the state of emergency. This includes purchasing and hiring more staff, especially to help local health departments.
New York has commissioned “hundreds” of tests for coronavirus and plans to push for many more, Cuomo said. The governor said officials are “hypercautious” about nursing homes and senior living facilities that may be especially vulnerable to the virus.
New York joins multiple states that have declared emergencies over the coronavirus, including Maryland, Utah, and California.
