Coronavirus On Long Island: 20 Cases, Dozens Quarantined

LONG ISLAND, NY — Dozens of Nassau County residents were in mandatory or precautionary quarantine Tuesday as the number of coronavirus cases on Long Island hit 20. Two of the latest cases were school bus drivers, leading to multiple school district closures.

Hofstra University canceled all in-person classes this week after a student reported flu-like symptoms. The student attended a conference where another person tested positive for coronavirus. The Shoreham-Wading River School District canceled all classes Monday after a teacher's spouse may have been exposed to the virus. The Oyster Bay, Locust Valley and Glen Cove school districts all closed Tuesday after bus drivers tested positive for the virus.

Nassau County Executive Laura Curran said the two bus drivers transported about 80 students on several routes. Many parents of the students who live on the routes were notified and the county is working to find and alert the rest, she said.

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The number of people infected in the state grew to 173 on Tuesday as Curran confirmed more cases, 19 of which were in Nassau County. Curran said 72 people in the county were under mandatory quarantine and another 74 were under precautionary quarantine. The county is waiting for results on 10 more tests.

This is a breakdown of coronavirus cases across New York:

• Westchester: 108
• New York City: 36
• Nassau: 19
• Suffolk: 1
• Rockland: 6
• Ulster: 1
• Saratoga: 2

There have been about 116,000 cases of the new coronavirus confirmed globally across more than 100 countries and regions, including more than 700 in the United States, according to Johns Hopkins University. The virus has killed about 4,100 people worldwide as the death toll in the United States climbed to 27.

Nassau County started taking action against businesses accused of price gouging in the wake of the virus. A pharmacy in Island Park was fined $5,000 after officials said it sold individual n-95 face masks for $5 each when they're typically sold in packs of 20. The individual masks were not labeled for retail. A Hicksville convenience store was also fined $5,000 after officials said it sold boxes of masks for twice as much as it paid for them. The mask boxes were also not labeled for retail.

Hofstra canceled classes a week before spring break. The student who was sick and six people who were in close contact with them are all self-isolating pending test results to see whether the student contracted coronavirus, or COVID-19, the school said. The work for canceled classes will all have to be made up and a new schedule will be announced soon, the university said. Residence halls, dining halls and other services for students who live on campus will remain open, though the fitness center was closed.

Long Island's first confirmed coronavirus patient was a 42-year-old man from Uniondale who is being treated at NYU Winthrop hospital in Mineola. The next three people confirmed to have the virus were all linked to him, officials said. There's no word yet on the other patients or how they may have contracted the virus.

The first Suffolk County patient was a man in his 40s, officials said. He is being treated at Stony Brook Southampton Hospital.

In response to the spread of the virus globally, SUNY and CUNY university recalled 300 students who were studying abroad. Twenty-two of the students are from Long Island. Gov. Andrew Cuomo declared a state of emergency.

Cuomo announced Tuesday that, starting this week, the state will close all large gathering places in a one-mile circle in New Rochelle to stop the spread of the virus. That includes all schools in the area. The state will also deploy the National Guard to the area to help distribute food and clean areas, Cuomo said.

"This is literally life and death," said Cuomo.

There have been about 111,000 cases of coronavirus confirmed globally across 109 countries and regions, including more than 500 in the United States, according to Johns Hopkins University. The virus has killed nearly 3,900 people globally, including 22 in the United States. There have been no reported deaths in New York.

There is no vaccine for the virus. Health experts recommend people wash their hands regularly and avoid touching their face. In addition, those feeling sick should not travel or go to work.

Last week, Cuomo said the number of confirmed cases was going to rise with more testing.

"That's a good thing because then we can deal with the situation based on more facts," he said. "We know about 80 percent of those infected will self-resolve. The best way to calm anxieties is to demonstrate absolute government competence, and that's exactly what we're doing."

Cuomo also reiterated he's most concerned about vulnerable people, such as seniors, people with underlying conditions and those with weak immune systems. Cuomo described the overall health risk to New Yorkers as "low."

But widespread panic has led to a run on hygiene products at stores nationwide, with soaps, paper towels and hand sanitizers disappearing faster than stores can restock shelves.

Coronavirus fears led Starbucks to announce that customers will no longer be able to have their personal cups filled. "For here" cups were also prohibited. Those who bring in their own cups will have to take a disposable cup. And the Catholic Diocese of Rockville Centre said it would change some of the rites at Mass to curtail physical contact.

Cuomo directed the New York State Department of State's Consumer Protection Division to launch an investigation into reports of unfair price increases of consumer products such as household cleaning supplies and hand sanitizer. A toll-free hotline — 1-800-697-1220 — is available for New Yorkers to report suspected price gouging. Nassau County residents can also email concerns about price gouging to PriceGouging@NassauCountyny.gov.

Coronavirus in New York

• Shoreham-Wading River School District Closed
• Doctors Use Tents, Car Exams, Hotlines To Prevent Coronavirus Spread
• LI's First Coronavirus Patient Is Uniondale Man, School Confirms
• NICE Bus Will Sanitize Vehicles To Prevent Coronavirus Spread
• Coronavirus Forces Nassau Community College To Close
• Molloy College Preemptively Closing In Face Of Coronavirus
• Stony Brook University May Shift Courses Online
• Businesses Modify Practices Amid COVID-19 Worries
• Town of Babylon Taking Steps To Address Coronavirus Outbreak
• North Fork Woman Voluntarily Self-Quarantines After Italy Trip
• Coronavirus: 1-Mile Containment Area In New Rochelle
• Coronavirus Closing New York School Districts
• Coronavirus Sparks Town's Temporary Suspension Of Senior Programs
• Positive Coronavirus Test For Scarsdale Youth Hockey Assn. Player
• New Rochelle Rabbi Tests Positive For Coronavirus
• Tappan Zee High School Staffer Self-Quarantined

Patch staffers Dan Hampton and Lisa Finn contributed reporting.