Coronavirus: New Rochelle Schools May Close, Cuomo Says

NEW ROCHELLE, NY — New Rochelle public schools will likely be closed in response to the outbreak of the new coronavirus in the city. Gov. Andrew Cuomo and state health officials said the state is in discussion with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention about shutting down New Rochelle schools.

If the closings come to fruition, New Rochelle will join Scarsdale in shutting down the entire district.

At a Monday morning news conference, Cuomo called New Rochelle a "hot spot," because a majority of the positive cases of COVID-19, as the virus is formally known have been detected there.

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He announced the latest numbers of positive cases in New York:

• Westchester County: 98 (16 new)
• New York City: 19 (7 new)
• Nassau County: 17 (12 new)
• Rockland County: 4 (2 new)
• Saratoga County: 2
• Suffolk County: 1
• Ulster County: 1

Cuomo said there are now 142 cases in the state, which he said is more that the state of Washington.

There have been about 111,000 cases of the new 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 deaths from the new coronavirus in New York to date.

In a statement posted on the City of New Rochelle School District website prior to the governor's news conference Monday, Superintendent Dr. Laura Feijóo said the district "eagerly awaits the governor's much anticipate plan for school closures as it relates to the coronavirus (COVID-19), which is expected to be released eminently."

She said that, if the new plan is different from the district's protocols released Thursday, they will be immediately updated to reflect the governor's guidance and will be shared with the community.
Until then, Feijóo said, the plan currently in place will govern any occurrences of the virus.

Across the state, schools will have to close for at least 24 hours for an assessment if a child tests positive for the virus, Cuomo said. A determination would then be made on how to proceed, including possibly keeping the school closed.

New York established an emergency operations center in New Rochelle Saturday and said they were ramping up staff and supplies in order to test and monitor for the virus.

Also, at the state's direction, no visitors will be permitted in nursing homes and assisted living facilities in New Rochelle until further notice, health officials announced Saturday.

New Rochelle has been at the center of the outbreak of the new coronavirus. Last week a 50-year-old New Rochelle man was diagnosed and hospitalized with the disease. Members of his family, friends and a neighbor and others in area have also been confirmed to have the new coronavirus.

This is a developing story so check back with Patch for updates.