Mayor De Blasio: 2 More People Test Positive For Coronavirus In NYC

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He first made the announcement on MSNBC's "Morning Joe" show, adding that the two patients are a man in his 40s and a woman in her 80s.

"Neither patient has a connection to travel nor any of the other local individuals diagnosed with COVID-19," he said in a statement.

There are two new confirmed cases of COVID-19 in New York City. One new patient is a man in his 40s, and one new patient is a woman in her 80s.

Neither patient has a connection to travel nor any of the other local individuals diagnosed with COVID-19.

-- Mayor Bill de Blasio (@NYCMayor) March 5, 2020

Mayor de Blasio later added that both patients are currently hospitalized in the intensive care unit.

City disease detectives are tracing close contacts of both individuals and will ensure they are appropriately isolated and tested immediately, the mayor said.

"We are going to see more cases like this as community transmission becomes more common," de Blasio said. "We want New Yorkers to be prepared and vigilant, not alarmed. We are taking the same decisive steps in every case to shut transmission down: isolate and test each suspected case, trace close contacts, and isolate and test them as well."

De Blasio said the new cases heighten the need for the CDC to increase the city's supply of COVID-19 test kits and approve any testing methods developed by private companies.

"Our single greatest challenge is the lack of fast federal action to increase testing capacity--without that, we cannot beat this epidemic back," de Blasio said.

Both are currently hospitalized and in the intensive care unit.

City disease detectives are tracing close contacts of both individuals and will ensure they are appropriately isolated and tested immediately.

-- Mayor Bill de Blasio (@NYCMayor) March 5, 2020

Meanwhile, on Wednesday, officials annnounced a cluster of cases connected to a New Rochelle attorney who is hospitalized with coronavirus.

The cases include the attorney's wife, 20-year-old son who attends Yeshiva University, 14-year-old daughter who is a student at SAR Academy in the Bronx and his neighbor who drove him to the hospital have all been infected.

A 45-year-old man -- who is friends with the attorney and "spent time with lawyer in multiple circumstances," his 46-year-old wife and their three children have also tested positive. The entire family, who is from New Rochelle, is under self-quarantine. A fourth child in the family has tested negative.

UPDATE: We have learned of 5 new confirmed cases of #COVID19, bringing the total of confirmed cases to 11.

The cases are all in a single family from New Rochelle: A 46yo woman, her 45yo husband, and 3 of their children.

The entire family is under self-quarantine.

-- Andrew Cuomo (@NYGovCuomo) March 4, 2020

The 50-year-old attorney is being treated at NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital with the virus, while his family remains in isolation at their home. Cuomo said the man is in stable condition and improving.

UPDATE: The patient, a 50-year-old attorney from Westchester, is now in stable condition and is improving. https://t.co/wL05eXDzPv

-- Andrew Cuomo (@NYGovCuomo) March 4, 2020

He reportedly used Metro-North regularly to commute to and from work at the Lewis and Garbuz, P.C. law firm, located at 60 East 42nd St. in Midtown Manhattan, where his wife also works. Seven coworkers and an intern are being tested for the virus.

Cuomo said the man apparently had an underlying respiratory illness and no known travel history to China or other countries on the virus watch list, though he recently visited Miami.

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It appears to be a community spread case.

"When you can't track it back directly to one place or one visit, I think that's what we're seeing today," he said. "We have a case in Westchester, a 50-year-old gentleman, who did not travel to any of the places that are on the 'watch list.'"

Mayor Bill de Blasio said a roommate and close friend of the Yeshiva University student, who was last on campus on Feb. 27, have been transferred to Bellevue Hospital for testing.

Yeshiva University has canceled all classes on Wilf Campus in Washington Heights as a precaution.

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"This precautionary step will allow us to work with city agencies and other professionals to best prepare our campus and ensure the uncompromised safety of our students, faculty and staff," the school said.

Dormitories and food services will remain open for students who stay on campus.

The SAR Academy and High School has also closed as a precaution and the school is urging students, parents and staff to remain calm.

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Westchester's health department has recruited nurses and detectives to retrace the man's steps, including where did he go and what did he do in Westchester County before going to the hospital. They will also investigate his family's movements.

Officials said 1,000 congregants of Young Israel of New Rochelle, where the man is a member, have been asked to self-quarantine over possible exposure to the virus. Young Israel of New Rochelle has also been directed to stop all services.

Eight employees who treated the attorney at Lawrence Hospital are also under quarantine.

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County Executive George Latimer says for now they are working to find out who might be sick and act accordingly in concert with their state and federal partners.

"It may be a natural tendency for us to move to the highest degree of concern, 'what if this and what if that?' those aren't illegitimate questions, but they are premature questions," Latimer said, adding that the key to containing the situation is making sure people know the facts. "There is a spread of a contagious virus. There's also the spread of misinformation and the spread of fear."

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Cuomo announced tests came back negative for people in Buffalo, Oneida and Suffolk County. The husband of a 39-year-old Manhattan resident who contracted the virus while working in Iran has also tested negative for the virus.

The governor said more cases are expected as the outbreak spreads and testing ramps up, but he stresses the anxiety over the coronavirus just doesn't match the reality of the situation.

"We're now in this daily mania -- one case, new case, positive, negative. The more you test, the more positive cases you will find," Cuomo said.

For now that testing will continue and as for those who end up getting sick, the governor says if you are unable to self quarantine, the state will find a place for you.

Meanwhile, Long Island continues to prepare for possible cases to arise. There were two tests pending in Suffolk County and one in Nassau County on Wednesday.

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Worldwide, there are over 90,000 cases of the virus and about 3,100 people have died from COVID-19.

In the U.S., 9 people in Washington state have died from COVID-19. Dozens of others across the country are infected.

MAP CREDIT: NBC Owned Television Stations