Gov. Andrew Cuomo ordered all businesses Thursday to keep at least 75 percent of their work forces home as he announced the number of infected people in New York state had soared past 4,000, a surge of nearly 2,000 overnight that corresponded to a record number of tests conducted.
More than half of the new cases are in New York City. The governor had warned ahead of his news briefing that the day-over-day jump in numbers would be astronomical. He said a record 8,000 tests were conducted overnight, about a fourth of what the CDC website says it has done nationally to date. Increased testing capacity leads to more positive tests by default.
The boom in numbers prompted Cuomo to make an adjustment to an executive order he issued a day earlier: On Wednesday, the governor said businesses were legally required to keep 50 percent of their work forces home. On Thursday, he increased the percentage to 75 percent. This is a data-driven response, Cuomo said, and he is adjusting statewide mandates and issuing new ones as needed. The governor also announced a 90-day mortgage relief plan as part of his efforts to mitigate the financial impact on New Yorkers and their families.
The situation is being assessed daily, hourly, by the minute at times — but as New Yorkers grow increasingly concerned about protecting themselves and their loved ones, Cuomo made one thing extremely clear: “I am not going to do martial law in the state of New York. That is not going to happen.”
Meanwhile, New Jersey has 427 cases, and YWN has confirmed that there are dozens of cases already testing positive in Lakewood. One person was in serious condition. A name for Tehillim was not available.
YWN has confirmation of at least 4 Roshei Yeshiva from different Yeshivos that have tested positive, and at least 10 different Rabbeiyim that have tested positive. The bochirm have all been notified.
STAY UPDATED WITH BREAKING UPDATES FROM YWN VIA WHATSAPP – SIGN UP NOW Just click on this link, and you will be placed into a group.
Asisa Urging Public to Stay Home After Hundreds Test Positive for Coronavirus in Boro Park, Williamsburg and Far Rockaway
Sandy Eller Reports:
With more than half of the coronavirus tests performed at its pop up facilities coming back positive, Asisa Urgent Care is strongly cautioning the public to follow Department of Health guidelines and to stay home in order to limit the spread of COVID-19.
Responding to the need for private coronavirus testing, Asisa has been running coronavirus testing at separate command centers at its three locations in Boro Park and Williamsburg, as well as at a drive through site in Far Rockaway. Results are still pending on the vast majority of the nearly 3,000 tests performed over the past five days, but more than 300 have already come back positive.
Asisa Medical Director Dr. Giuseppina Feingold said that the percentage of positive results received from the company’s testing sites is higher than 50 percent and he urged anyone exhibiting coronavirus symptoms who may have been exposed to come in for testing.
Asisa has set up dedicated testing centers, staffed by high level medical teams of doctors, nurses and physicians’ assistants outside of its regular offices. Separating coronavirus testing from its day to day operations will keep those who suspect they may have been infected with coronavirus from entering the company’s regular facilities, which continue to be professionally sanitized as a precautionary measure.
Dr. Feingold cautioned that hundreds of test results are still pending and that with the number of positives expected to rise dramatically as those results are reported, additional staff will be brought in to meet that demand.
“Having seen the high rates of confirmed cases of coronavirus in the Jewish community, which by nature is very close knit, we urge everyone to avoid public places, to practice social distancing and not to congregate in order to keep the coronavirus from spreading further,” said Dr. Feingold. “Asisa Urgent Care will continue providing the best possible services to the community during this difficult time.”
Asisa Urgent Care will continue to provide walk-in testing, no appointments needed, in Boro Park at 1530 43rd Street and at 5902 18th Avenue and in Williamsburg at 667 Myrtle Avenue.
Meanwhile, a leading physician in Kiryas Yoel, Dr. Zelenko, made a frighting prediction this morning. He says that’s that 90% of the population in the Village of Kiryas Joel will have the coronavirus in just a few days. That is approximately 35,000 people in the area of around one square mile.
WATCH THE VIDEO BELOW
(YWN World Headquarters – NYC / Sandy Eller)
Join the official YWN WhatsApp status
11 Responses
Finally a statement that can be verified. If Kiryas Yoel is depopulated, with massive funerals and a large number of orphans, we’ll see that the alarmists are right, and this panic has been justified. And if Kiryas Yoel survives with some people getting no more than a usual winter flu, and only a few older (or already sick) people dying, we’ll see that those questioning the media and government (and rabbinical) panic were in error, and inflicted much pain needlessly.
I don’t understand Dr. Zelenko’s predictions. 9 out of 14 tested positive, however the 14 tests were not a random sample. I presume the tests were done on people with symptoms or people that were exposed to people with symptoms.
Regardless, we need to take this very seriously.
We are a generation bereft of true gedolim. Can you imagine Rav Moshe or The Rav not understanding the severity of the situation and not closing the schools, Shuls and yeshivot? Both in US and Israel it is the Haredi communities who are at the center of this and who suffer sickness, quarterine and lo alaynu deaths. And why? Because the rabbinic authorities these kehilot turned to didn’t listen to the experts and ignored the authorities. I’m not mentioning names but everyone reading this is thinking of who these people are which is proof that in your heart you agree. Enough with the “Assur to criticize”. That is a 2 way street and right now we are rudderless and this time it’s not sheitles being burned, is people dying.
ignorance is bliss is gematria Jewish community 2020
The orthodox community that I saw respected government directives, but some members did not want to take a nervous approach and voluntarily adopt stricter rules before the severity was universally acknowledged. The question being whether it becomes useful at certain times to be a news junkie glued to phones, where you start to make your own judgments and react more quickly. All my gemara teachers make it a point of not reading the newspaper and asking their students what is happening. This may be one of those rare occasions where that approach did not pay.
People with no symptoms or minor symptoms don’t show up for testing.
The overall strategy is to delay the onset of new serious cases so hospitals are not overwhelmed and effective medicines (some are in use overseas already) can be made and distributed here in quantity. The government and drug company are trying to speed the medicines along. All population groups, including us, need to realize the threat and react quickly to public warnings. In Mitzrayim, there was a time HaShem told Yidden to stay indoors at home, no matter what.
akuperna: why are you assuming that so many would die? Such hate. Sure hope I don’t catch what you’ve got.
Dr. Zelenko is a respected doctor. Obviously not a statistician or a mathematician. The virus must be taken seriously. He has been misquoting historical facts about the Spanish flu and his math here is flawed. According to him 40% of those tested and obviously with symptoms were negative. How in the world he gets to 90% is beyond me. Let’s stick to the truth and the facts. Let’s stay safe and stay healthy.
He says that’s that 90% of the population in the Village of Kiryas Joel will have the coronavirus in just a few days. They should all be מקבל upon themselves to recite הלל-שלם in 41 days on יום-העצמאות, and realize how our incredible מדינה was so much smarter than most countries in having put so many measures in force long before most countries.
Even on the Japanese cruise ship, where 3000 people were living in each other’s laps for weeks, only 20% were infected. How can he expect anyone to believe that KJ will be worse than that?
Good time to pray to hashem. When will it get better, not worse is my question??