First Nassau Resident Dies Of Covid-19, Second In County

An elderly man became the first coronavirus-related death of a Nassau County resident, bringing the total number of deaths up to four Long Island residents.

A Nassau County man died from coronavirus
Photo Credit: *CDC*

Zak Failla

03/17/2020 1:24 p.m.

The 96-year-old Nassau County resident had been quarantined at Mercy Medical Center in Rockville Centre after testing positive for COVID-19.

Earlier report: Third COVID-19 Death Reported In Suffolk

His death comes the day after a Suffolk County man was also reported dead from a coronavirus-related illness and a Queens man died at Mount Sinai South Nassau Hospital in Oceanside.

A man in his 80s, a man in his 90s, and a woman in her 90s, all from Suffolk County, have also died from COVID-19, on Long Island. More positive cases and possible deaths are anticipated as the virus continues to spread.

Earlier report: Man With COVID-19 Dies At Mount Sinai South Nassau Hospital, Officials Say

According to New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo, as of Tuesday, March 17, there have been 131 confirmed cases of coronavirus in Nassau County and 84 confirmed cases in Suffolk County. There have been three deaths in Suffolk and one in Nassau.

Statewide, there have been 1,374 confirmed cases, including 432 new ones. Of those 1,374 cases, 264 are hospitalized. Globally, there have been 189,233 confirmed COVID-19 cases that resulted in 7,513 deaths.

New York’s 1,374 cases have resulted in 12 deaths, and are by far the most confirmed COVID-19 cases in the country, ahead of Washington (904), California (583) and Massachusetts (917). There have been 5,023 cases reported nationally, which resulted in 89 deaths.

Cuomo said he’s spoken with health experts and the virus is going to continue to be an inconvenience, with it potentially not peaking for another 45 days. The governor said that this could pose a problem, as New York may be running out of time to allocate the necessary hospital beds.

“Right now we have 53,000 hospital beds and 3,000 ICU beds,” he said. “This may not peak for around 45 days, so we might need between 55,000 and 111,000 hospital beds and as many as 18,600 to 37,200 ICU beds. That remains the challenge and the challenge is daunting.”

“We have to continue to flatten the curve, continue to reduce density and that might mean more closings. The numbers are showing the expected flow into hospitals and it’s clear we can’t manage that flow. How do you reduce that flow? Close down more interaction among people.”

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