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The 50-year-old man, an attorney at a small law firm in midtown Manhattan who lives in New Rochelle, is now hospitalized, New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced on Tuesday, March 3, at a news conference in Albany.
Cuomo said the man has an underlying respiratory illness.
The man recently traveled to Miami, but no direct connection to China or any country on the virus watch list has been established, making it an apparent case of "community spread" COVID-19, Cuomo said.
"That kind of spreading is inevitable," Cuomo said at the news conference.
The man is now in serious condition at NewYork-Presbyterian/Columbia University Medical Center, New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio said.
The man was first treated at NewYork-Presbyterian Lawrence Hospital in Bronxville, according to Cuomo.
Before becoming hospitalized, he commuted by train to Grand Central Station, authorities said.
The Salanter Akiba Riverdale Academy school and high school in the Riverdale section of the Bronx, where one of the New Rochelle man's children attends, were both closed on Tuesday, Cuomo said.
The man's child does not have coronavirus symptoms, de Blasio said.
"There may be some more schools that voluntarily close as they determine if children may have exposed other children," Cuomo said.
The man's other son attends an unidentified college in New York City, has symptoms, and is being tested, de Blasio said.
"We will have more to say about that," de Blasio said.
The man's family has been quarantined at their home in New Rochelle.
On Sunday evening, March 1, a 39-year-old Manhattan woman who is employed as a healthcare worker, had been confirmed as New York's first case.
The woman contracted the virus while traveling abroad in Iran, and is currently isolated in her home, along with her husband.
Her condition is not life-threatening and she has self-quarantined at her Manhattan home since returning from Iran, authorities said.
"Last week I called for the Legislature to pass a $40 million emergency management authorization to confront this evolving situation -- I look forward to its swift passage," Cuomo said.
Cuomo noted that about 80 percent of those who contract the novel coronavirus will self-resolve.
"They may not even know they had the illness," Cuomo said.
"There is no reason for undue anxiety -- the general risk remains low in New York. We are diligently managing this situation and will continue to provide information as it becomes available," Cuomo added.
According to the Health Department, while there is currently no vaccine for the novel coronavirus, everyday preventative actions can help stop the spread of this and other respiratory viruses:
- Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds. If soap and water are not available, use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer;
- Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth with unwashed hands;
- Avoid close contact with people who are sick;
- Stay home when you are sick;
- Cover your cough or sneeze with a tissue, then throw the tissue in the trash;
- Clean and disinfect frequently touched objects and surfaces;
- Individuals who are experiencing symptoms and may have traveled to areas of concern or have been in contact with somebody who has traveled to these areas should call ahead to their healthcare provider before presenting for treatment.
For more info on the coronavirus, check the Centers for Disease Control page here.
For more info from the Westchester County Department of Health, click here.
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