Westchester Coronavirus Update: Nursing Home Deaths

WESTCHESTER COUNTY, NY — In a confirmation that people with medical conditions are most vulnerable to the new coronavirus, many nursing homes in New York have reported six or more deaths from COVID-19, according to new data released this week by state health officials. Seven of those facilities are in Westchester County.

The state did not report data from any nursing home with fewer than six deaths, citing privacy concerns. From nursing homes with more than six deaths, 1,109 residents have died due to the virus in New York, according to the data.

The actual number of deaths in nursing homes is believed to be much larger.

For example, Westchester County Executive George Latimer said earlier this week that one in three deaths in the county had been of people in nursing homes or assisted-living facilities. As of Thursday, 668 Westchester residents had died from COVID-19, according to the state. Only 106, about one in six, died in nursing homes where there were six deaths or more, according to the state data.

The nursing homes listed:

• Westchester Center for Rehabilitation & Nursing - 6
• North Westchester Restorative Therapy and Nursing Center - 7
• Martine Center for Rehabilitation and Nursing - 10
• St Cabrini Nursing Home - 13
• The New Jewish Home, Sarah Neuman - 14
• The Wartburg Home - 26
• Regency Extended Care Center - 30

Across New York, 19 of the state's nursing homes have each had at least 20 deaths linked to the pandemic, including a nursing home in Brooklyn that saw 55 deaths. Four in the Bronx, Queens and Staten Island saw more than 40.

The list was based on a survey sent by the state seeking details, The Associated Press reported. Nursing homes had until 2 p.m. Thursday to respond.

Melissa De Rosa, Gov. Andrew Cuomo's top aide, told reporters Friday that he plans to sign an executive order requiring nursing homes to tell residents and their families of positive cases. Violators, she said, could face civil penalties.

The data comes as the number of coronavirus cases in New York topped 220,000 this week, including the state's Thursday tally: 2,085 people confirmed infected in Dutchess, 5,888 in Orange, 688 in Putnam, 8,752 in Rockland, 761 in Ulster and 21,828 in Westchester.