COVID cases climb higher on Long Island, hospitalizations rise across New York
Gov. Kathy Hochul, here at an event Friday, again pleaded with New Yorkers on Saturday to take precautions. Credit: Craig Ruttle
The COVID-19 surge continued to spread illness on Long Island and across the state, with cases, hospitalizations and deaths continuing to trend upward, state officials said Saturday.
Gov. Kathy Hochul again pleaded with New Yorkers to take precautions as Long Island saw the number of cases climb higher, from a total of 2,098 Thursday to 2,214 Friday, according to figures released Saturday.
Nassau had 993 cases, exceeding the prior day's tally of 926, and Suffolk saw 1,221 cases, up from 1,172 the day before. Four of Suffolk's cases were confirmed to be of the omicron variant.
"As tired as we are from this pandemic, we cannot let our guard down as we face the winter surge," Hochul said in a statement. "We need to continue to do what we can to keep ourselves and our loved ones safe this season. Get vaccinated, get your booster, wear a mask, wash your hands. We are not powerless, and I encourage every New Yorker to utilize the tools we have today."
LI's 7-day positivity rate up to 6.34%
The Island's seven-day average of positive test results rose to 6.34% on Friday, a bump from 6.09% on Wednesday and 6.20% on Thursday.
As recently as Oct. 28, the Island's seven-day average stood at 2.08%. On that day, Nassau had 199 cases and Suffolk had 245. New York State had 33 deaths that day, according to state figures. On Friday, the daily death toll statewide was almost double that — 59 — including two in Nassau and one in Suffolk, according to figures released Saturday.
Hospitalizations rose by 57 over a day earlier, to 3,603, and patients in the ICU increased by eight to 688, the state figures showed.
New York City had 3,846 new cases; on Oct. 28 it had 876, according to state figures.
Responding to the surge in virus, Hochul announced Friday that restaurants, stores and all other public indoor places in New York State must require customers and staff to wear masks, or they must require proof of vaccination for entry.
The measure takes effect Monday and lasts through Jan. 15, when it could be extended. It applies to everyone 2 years old and older.
Violating the order may result in civil and criminal penalties, and a $1,000 fine for each violation, the state said. Local health departments are to enforce the mandate.
Northwell sends nurses to Western NY
Elsewhere, Northwell Health dispatched a team of nurses Saturday to hospitals in Western New York to help with staffing shortages in an area overburdened with a surge in COVID-19 cases, Hochul announced Saturday.
Northwell Health nursing staff and administrators are greeted by University of Rochester Medical Center officials. Credit: Univeristy of Rochester Medical Center
Northwell, the state's largest medical system, based on New Hyde Park, sent 16 clinical professionals and two team leaders, which includes intensive care, emergency department and medical-surgical nurses to Erie County Medical Center in Buffalo and the University of Rochester's Strong Memorial Hospital in Rochester.
The two-week mission comes as the state sees a rise in COVID-19 infections and hospitalizations.
"Fighting the winter surge requires a statewide team effort from partners across New York State," Hochul said. "I want to thank Northwell Health for answering the call to action and partnering with us to send a team of extraordinarily skilled nurses that will boost hospital capacity and help us bring the numbers down in Western New York."
Northwell chief nursing officer Maureen White noted that when New York City and Long Island were overrun with COVID cases in March 2020, the area was assisted by other health systems.
The University of Rochester and Intermountain Healthcare in Utah sent medical help to Northwell during the first wave in 2020. Northwell reciprocated by aiding Intermountain during its surge and now gets the chance to repay the University of Rochester in its time of need.
"It was an ordeal the front line team at Northwell — and all New Yorkers — won't soon forget," White said of that troubled time. "Our nurses received a helping hand then from other health systems. We want to be mindful to pay it forward and provide assistance now as others face a renewed assault by the virus."
Northwell also has deployed medical teams to the Henry Ford Health System in Michigan during the pandemic.
About a week ago, the state sent 10 medical staff from the New York National Guard to the A. Holly Patterson Extended Care facility in Uniondale to help with staffing shortages.
The plan is part of a larger deployment of 120 National Guard medical staff to several nursing homes and long-term-care facilities around the state that have suffered staffing shortages due to the pandemic, officials said.
Sign up to get text alerts about COVID-19 and other topics at newsday.com/text.
Craig Schneider is a Long Island native and Stony Brook University alumnus. He joined Newsday as a general assignment reporter in January 2018 after 20 years at the Atlanta Journal-Constitution.
