Suffolk Coronavirus: 28 Cases, After-School Activities Paused

NORTH FORK, NY — All non-instructional, after-school activities were suspended Friday in Suffolk County as the number of confirmed cases of the new coronavirus climbed to 28. Suffolk County Executive Steve Bellone announced the changes at a news conference, acknowledging that as the global crisis continues to escalate, the number of Long Island and Suffolk cases will continue to rise.

The number of Suffolk cases has more than tripled from eight to 28 in two days, Cuomo said.

Here's the breakdown:

• Huntington: 4
• Islip: 2
• Smithtown: 2
• Brookhaven: 5
• Babylon: 3
• East Hampton: 1
• Southold Town: 11

Suffolk County health officials recommended the suspension of all non-instruction, after-school activities, including athletic games, practice, group travel, field trips, adult education and assemblies, Bellone said.

A state of emergency was declared in Suffolk County Thursday and Gov. Andrew Cuomo unveiled new restrictions for mass gatherings and nursing homes that go into effect Friday.

Parades set for this weekend were postponed countywide, Bellone said, and the county's emergency management operations center opened. Civil service exams and job fairs were suspended for two weeks.

In addition, new protections for first responders were issued to help limit exposure. Officers are not to go inside with EMS when a case involves an illness unless it is necessary, Bellone said.

Statewide, Cuomo said testing is poised to increase dramatically with 28 labs authorized to start coronavirus testing. They can perform about 6,000 tests daily. As of Friday, only about 3,000 tests have been done.

Coronavirus cases up across New York

Statewide, Cuomo said, 96 new cases were reported Friday, with a total of 421. Of those, 50 were hospitalized and 18 were in intensive care.

The governor warned that life may not return to normal for months and said there may be thousands walking around with coronavirus and not know it.

"Nobody is going to be immune from this," Cuomo said. "You can't hermetically seal yourself."

Economic impact of coronavirus on Suffolk County, rest of New York

With coronavirus resulting in closures and cancellations — including major sport leagues and Broadway —Bellone said the virus will impact small business owners looking for safety nets and lifelines.

To that end, a plan is being devised countywide to assist employers experiencing hardship. The U.S. Small Business Administration will offer loans up to $2 million to help businesses harmed by coronavirus. The money can be used to make up for lost revenue and pay for wages, debts and bills.

Suffolk County received hand sanitizer from the state, he said.

As cases continue to mount, Bellone reminded the public to stay home if they feel ill, to wash their hands and use hand sanitizer, and to call 311 or 631-853-6311 if they need help.

"We will get through this working together," he said, urging residents not to panic.

In the face of mounting coronavirus cases reported countywide, new limits on nursing homes and mass gatherings will take effect statewide Friday, Bellone said.

Nine cases of coronavirus were confirmed Thursday and a state of emergency was declared in Southold Town as Suffolk County cases surged to 21, with the first case confirmed in East Hampton.

The state will institute limits on mass gatherings, directing events with 500 or more individuals in attendance to be canceled or postponed.

Public health experts agree mass gatherings with people making sustained close contact are a place where coronavirus can easily infect many people quickly and continue its spread, Bellone said.

Events, gatherings, or places of business with less than 500 individuals in attendance will be required to cut capacity by 50 percent, with exceptions being made for spaces where individuals do not make sustained close contact, such as schools, hospitals, public buildings, mass transit, grocery stores and retail stores, he said.

Those new regulations will go into effect Friday at 5 p.m.

Also at 5 p.m. Friday, new restrictions for nursing homes will go into effect statewide, with only medically necessary visits allowed. The state is also asking nursing homes to set up online systems so families can communicate with their loved ones.

Additionally, the state will require health screenings for all nursing home workers each day when they enter a facility and require them to wear surgical masks, Bellone said.

That news came after two new coronavirus cases were reported Thursday among workers at the Peconic Landing retirement home in Greenport, bringing the number of cases confirmed there to three.

Peconic Landing was notified Thursday morning by the Suffolk County Department of Health that a second and third employee tested positive for coronavirus, or COVID-19.

"We are in constant contact with the Suffolk County Department of Health and following their direction," Peconic Landing said in a statement. "The Suffolk County Department of Health is currently undergoing an investigation to identify individuals who may have had direct contact with these employees."

The Suffolk County Department of Health will contact the individuals directly.

"Due to HIPAA regulations we are unable to provide specific information about the employees," Peconic Landing said.

The retirement community suspended outside visitation until further notice.

"We are not under quarantine," the statement continued. "We are, however, identifying additional opportunities to protect our members' and employees' safety and well-being. Recommendations from the Governor's Office, the Suffolk County Health Commissioner, the NY State Department of Health and the CDC support this approach."

The focus is on ensuring the safety and well-being of members and employees, the statement said.

Peconic Landing is communicating all updates to members and employees via internal communication channels and will be providing ongoing updates through its website and social media.

Bellone declared a countywide state of emergency Thursday as coronavirus cases rose dramatically from Wednesday, with one case each confirmed in Huntington, Islip and East Hampton, two in Smithtown and Brookhaven, and nine in Southold. All were believed to have been contracted through community transmission, Bellone said.

News continued to break across the North Fork of businesses closing due to new, confirmed cases. The Suffolk Times posted a message on social media Thursday: "We have learned that a part-time member of our staff has tested positive for COVID-19 coronavirus after seeking medical attention at Stony Brook Eastern Long Island Hospital," the post read.

"This employee has not worked since March 3 and we will work closely with the Suffolk County Department of Health, State Health Department and CDC following their recommended protocols," the message from the Times Review Media Group, located in Mattituck, said. "The employee does not interact with the public in their role on our staff, but we have proactively put procedures in place. Our office will be temporarily closed and our employees will work from home until further notice. The good news is our colleague is feeling significantly better and is well on their way to making a full recovery."

Also on Thursday, Sharon Sailor, owner of Front Street Station in Greenport, posted on social media to say an employee is related to person who tested positive for coronavirus at the Southold Fish Market. The employee started vacation Sunday and had not been in to work since Saturday, March 7, Sailor said.

"We feel as community members and friends that complete transparency with all of you is the only way to approach this," Sailor said.

Sailor said she spoke to the Suffolk County Board of Health and, since her employee has no symptoms, he cannot be tested and must self-quarantine for 14 days. Front Street Station was closed Thursday for cleaning and the employee will be placed on extended vacation and allowed to return back to work March 22.

Southold Fish Market officials announced Wednesday night that the employee was diagnosed with coronavirus. Meanwhile, Greenport schools closed Thursday for two days after three students were quarantined.

"We have been notified by an employee that he has been diagnosed with the COVID-19 virus," a post on the Southold Fish Market Facebook page read Wednesday. "As a precaution we have sanitized the entire establishment and will close tomorrow so the Board of Health can be notified and a protocol can be established. Thank you for your understanding."

The Greenport Union Free School District sent this message: "Although the district has not received a positive result of COVID 19 in a student or staff member, we have made the decision to close tomorrow, March 12 and Friday, March 13. This is out of an abundance of caution and will allow the district to complete a deep, thorough cleaning of the building ... We will remain in constant contact with the Suffolk County Department of Health."

As the number of coronavirus cases continued to rise across Long Island, three Greenport students were placed in mandatory quarantine, Greenport schools Superintendent David Gamberg said Wednesday.

"They are asymptomatic, and we have been repeatedly advised that they do not pose a risk, per the Suffolk County Health Department," Gamberg said.

On Wednesday, Bellone said there was a connection between one of Suffolk County's six confirmed cases, a woman in her 20s who remained isolated at her home in Southold, and the first confirmed Suffolk case, a man in his 40s who works at the Greenport Harbor Brewing Co. in Peconic. The man was treated at Eastern Long Island Hospital in Greenport and transferred to Stony Brook Southampton Hospital, where he remained isolated in fair condition and was improved, hospital officials said Tuesday.

A per diem employee at Peconic Landing was confirmed to have coronavirus Tuesday; Peconic Landing officials said that individual worked in a "relatively isolated area, with minimal contact to our population." Efforts are underway to continue sanitizing the facility and no residents are believed to be impacted, Peconic Landing CEO and President Bob Syron told Patch Wednesday. All residents, he added, are being monitored closely.

The Shoreham-Wading River School District closed Monday, sending buses of students back home, after the spouse of a staff member may have been exposed to coronavirus. The district reopened Tuesday.

Southold schools and Mattituck-Cutchogue schools will be closed Friday and Mondas. No cases have been confirmed in those schools.