New Rochelle Man Who Was 2nd NY Coronavirus Case Is Awake, Alert

NEW ROCHELLE, NY — The New Rochelle attorney who was the second confirmed case of the new coronavirus in New York is now awake and continues to recover. The 50-year-old man's wife posted Wednesday on Facebook that he "is awake and alert and seems to be on the road to full recovery."

She said he still has "healing to do but is on a very good trajectory."

Within hours of having ventilator removed, his first words to her — via FaceTime, since she remains in quarantine — were that he loved her and he immediately asked if the rest of his family was OK.

Follow all the coronavirus updates in New York. Sign up for Patch news alerts and newsletters.

"He had no idea what was wrong with him but that is all he ever cares about on any day so no surprises there," his wife said.

The confirmation on March 3 that he was infected with COVID-19 set off a series of measures in and around New Rochelle, including the establishment by the state of a 1-mile radius containment area centered around Young Israel of New Rochelle, the synagogue he and his family attended.

The man had attended three large gatherings, including a funeral and a bat mitzvah. That in turn required anyone who was in attendance to self-quarantine for 14 days.

He was taken initially by a neighbor to NewYork-Presbyterian Lawrence Hospital in Bronxville and was eventually transferred to a hospital in Manhattan for further treatment. The neighbor and members of a family that were friends with the 50-year-old man also tested positive for the new coronavirus.

At the time, health officials said the attorney had an underlying respiratory illness, putting him in the category of people who are more vulnerable to the disease.

On Wednesday, Gov. Andrew Cuomo said during a news conference that the New York City health-care worker who was the first confirmed case of the coronavirus in the state took a second test for the virus and tested negative.

The 39-year-old woman was in quarantine at home for two weeks, Cuomo said.

The New Rochelle attorney's wife said that, now that they as a family can see the light at the end of the tunnel, will do what they can to help medical research see "if it can help bring a cure or stop the damage of this virus. I truly hope we can be of help."

She said it sounds as if everyone is in the same situation for a while longer, but feels it will pass.

"Quarantines have worked and everything else will turn around," she said. "I remain very positive and hope you are too! I feel spring in the air (metaphorically only, as I remain in quarantine a bit longer) but I feel good things coming!"

Coronavirus in New York

• NY Coronavirus: 3/4 Workforce Stay Home; Mortgage Payments Waived
• Coronavirus Outbreak Predicted To Peak In 45 Days: Cuomo
• To Keep Seniors Safe At Home, Medicare Expands Telemedicine
• New York Paid Leave Bill: What It Means During Coronavirus
• Westchester Puts Out Call For Nurses During Coronavirus Outbreak
  

Find and “Like” Hudson Valley Patches' Facebook Pages.