Suffolk County Executive Declares State Of Emergency As Covid-19 Cases Reach 20

Suffolk County Executive Steve Bellone declared a state of emergency after 14 new patients tested positive for COVID-19, bringing the county’s total to 20 and the total to 61 on Long Island.

COVID-19 continues to spread in New York. These are the latest numbers, released Thursday afternoon, March 12.
Photo Credit: *ny.gov*

Suffolk County Executive Steve Bellone provided an update on coronavirus.
Photo Credit: *Suffolk County Executive Steve Bellone*

Zak Failla

03/12/2020 3:36 p.m.

Statewide, as of Thursday, March 12, there were 328 confirmed cases of coronavirus in New York.

In Suffolk, health officials confirmed that eight of the cases were in the Town of Southold, four in Brookhaven, two in Smithtown and one each in Islip and Huntington.

At least 10 of those have been hospitalized and quarantined, while another 76 people are under precautionary quarantine.

Bellone noted that he’s spoken with the organizers of planned St. Patrick’s Day parades throughout the county, and those events are to be suspended.

Gatherings of more than 5,000 people have also been banned, and the county is suspending mass gathering permits.

As part of the declared state of emergency, Bellone also authorized the opening of Suffolk’s Emergency Operations Center, which will be staffed with emergency response personnel and scheduled to be open between 8 a.m. and 4 p.m. on weekdays.

In Nassau, 13 new cases were reported, bring that total to 41 in that county and 61 overall on Long Island. Nassau County Executive Laura Curran also declared “an imminent threat to public health.”

"We are having ongoing conversations with the state about what kind of measures can be taken if there are any clusters that emerge," Curran said. "At this moment, it is too soon to say what that looks like, however by declaring an imminent threat to public health, it does pave the way for us to declare a state of emergency."

In New York, as of Thursday, March 12, coronavirus cases were confirmed in:

Westchester: 148 cases (27 new);
New York City: 95 cases (43 new);
Nassau: 41 cases (13 new);
Suffolk: 20 cases (14 new);
Rockland: Seven cases (one new);
Ulster: Four (three new);
Saratoga: Three (one new);
Albany: Two (two new);
Monroe: Two (two new);
Orange: Two (two new);
Broome: One (one new);
Delaware: One (one new);
Dutchess: One (one new);
Herkimer: One (one new);

This remains a developing story. Check Daily Voice for additional information as it is released.

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