Westchester Coronavirus Update: 10 Percent Hospitalization Rate

WESTCHESTER COUNTY, NY — In Westchester there were 1,107 people hospitalized with the new coronavirus as of Wednesday, County Executive George Latimer said in his daily briefing on Facebook. There are 15,887 confirmed cases, making the hospitalization rate about 10 percent.

"If we can keep it at 10 percent that would be good," he said. "We have 3,000+ hospital rooms. Our inventory is still sufficient to handle the number who are sick."

State health officials will if necessary use those available beds for patients from Rockland, Orange, Putnam counties or the Bronx, Latimer pointed out.

In addition, he said, he and Deputy County Executive Ken Jenkins toured the County Center to see how the field hospital construction is going. "Within 10 days there will be an additional 110 beds," he said.

Two weeks ago today there were 4,691 confirmed cases in the county, he said, which means that there are now 11,000 active cases.

By community, the highest numbers are in Yonkers, 1,913; New Rochelle, 870; Mount Vernon, 805; Greenburgh, 699; and White Plains, 483.

In Westchester, almost 50,000 people have been tested, which per capita is the highest testing ratio in New York, he said.

Economic development issues come right after public health issues, Latimer said, and so he is grateful for 200 volunteers who have come forward to help with the local task force.

"When it's behind us we will have a massive task," he said.

New York State

Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced more major changes Wednesday as the state once again saw its largest number of single-day deaths from the new coronavirus.

The governor said all New Yorkers who file for unemployment will get an extra $600 on top of their unemployment checks and federal stimulus money, and that unemployment benefits will be extended by 13 weeks. Furthermore, all voting in the June 23 primary can be done by mail — the Cuomo administration will expand absentee ballot requirements so that people can cite they are doing so due to the risk of contracting the virus.

Statewide 149,316 people have tested positive for the virus and 6,268 have died as of Tuesday, according to the New York Health Department.

SEE ALSO:

• Westchester Coronavirus: Former Assemblyman Richard Brodsky Dies
• Coronavirus: College Professor Makes Face Shields In 'Fab Lab'
• Coronavirus: Ulster Builds Its Own Field Hospital
• Food Worker Infected: No New Rochelle School Meals Wednesday

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