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Covid-19: Westchester, Suffolk Can Resume Elective Surgeries; Horse Racing Tracks To Reopen

Horse racing tracks across New York State and Watkins Glen International Racetrack will be allowed to open without fans amid the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.

A look at horse-racing tracks that will reopen Monday, June 1.

A look at horse-racing tracks that will reopen Monday, June 1.

Photo Credit: ny.gov
Westchester and Suffolk counties are now cleared to resume elective surgeries.

Westchester and Suffolk counties are now cleared to resume elective surgeries.

Photo Credit: ny.gov

Those openings will be effective as of Monday, June 1. The state will issue guidance on how they can open safely reopen in the coming week.

Gov. Andrew Cuomo also announced at his news briefing on Saturday, May 16 that two more counties -- Westchester and Suffolk -- are now eligible to resume elective surgeries and ambulatory care. 

Cuomo previously announced that the state will allow elective outpatient treatments to resume in counties and hospitals without significant risk of COVID-19 surge in the near term, and a total of 49 counties can now resume elective surgeries.

"The numbers have been steadily decreasing and we're now right about where we were when we started, but we want to make sure we don't go back to the hell that we've gone through," Cuomo said. "We have a smart phased reopening plan that has been reviewed by experts, and half of the state is in the process of reopening.

"Now we're getting a little more nuanced in our analysis and starting to look for economic activities that we can start without crowds and gatherings - in this state we can do that with horse racing tracks and car racing at Watkins Glen and we're going to do that starting June 1."

Cuomo also called on the U.S. Senate to pass the "HEROES" coronavirus relief bill that was passed by the House Friday night, May 15. 

The bill includes $500 billion for states and $375 billion for locals; Medicaid funding for the most vulnerable; increased SNAP food assistance; 100 percent FEMA federal assistance; funding for testing; and repeals SALT to help states most affected by COVID-19.

New breakdown of cases by county

A total of 2,419 additional cases of novel coronavirus have brought the statewide total to 348,232 confirmed cases in New York State. 

The breakdown is as follows, with total positive cases on the second under the county's name and new positives on the third line of each entry:

Albany

1,572 total positive cases

34 new positive cases

Allegany

44

0

Broome

413

23

Cattaraugus

65

1

Cayuga

63

2

Chautauqua

48

3

Chemung

134

1

Chenango

115

2

Clinton

91

6

Columbia

338

5

Cortland

34

1

Delaware

68

1

Dutchess

3,527

29

Erie

4,867

85

Essex

32

0

Franklin

18

1

Fulton

148

3

Genesee

178

3

Greene

211

2

Hamilton

5

0

Herkimer

91

4

Jefferson

71

0

Lewis

13

1

Livingston

107

1

Madison

258

2

Monroe

2,192

101

Montgomery

75

3

Nassau

39,033

169

Niagara

770

27

NYC

191,600

1,243

Oneida

751

38

Onondaga

1,469

29

Ontario

139

6

Orange

9,879

54

Orleans

163

16

Oswego

83

3

Otsego

67

0

Putnam

1,127

6

Rensselaer

438

10

Rockland

12,688

51

Saratoga

423

2

Schenectady

613

10

Schoharie

47

0

Schuyler

8

0

Seneca

50

1

St. Lawrence

192

0

Steuben

233

2

Suffolk

37,942

223

Sullivan

1,217

28

Tioga

112

2

Tompkins

138

2

Ulster

1,537

26

Warren

228

0

Washington

218

1

Wayne

92

1

Westchester

32,097

154

Wyoming

78

1

Yates

22

0

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