BY ALEJANDRA O'CONNELLDOMENECH
The USNS Comfort, a
Navy hospital ship, arrived at
New York Harbor on Monday,
March 30 from Naval Station
Norfolk in Virginia and started
treating patients on board
Tuesday.
“I had this incredible feeling
of peace that help was
finally coming,”said Mayor
Bill de Blasio during a press
conference at Pier 90 on Monday.
Shortly before the media
briefing, de Blasio stood on a
nearby rooftop and watched
the “moving” image of the military
ship pass by the Statue of
Liberty on its way to Pier 88.
“It was like a beacon of hope,”
he added.
The hospital ship will act
as a “relief valve” for overburdened
New York City hospitals
and treat non-coronavirus patients,
said Rear Adm. John
Mustin. The ship is equipped
with 750 beds, operating
rooms and a pharmacy. A similar
military ship, the USNS
Mercy, docked in Los Angeles
on Friday.
The last time the ship hospital
docked in New York City
was during the aftermath of
the 9/11 terrorists attacks to
provide relief to first responders.
But more help is still needed.
“The toughest weeks are
TIMESLEDGER | QNS.18 COM | APRIL 3-APRIL 9, 2020
ahead,” said de Blasio on Monday
before asking the federal
government, again, to send as
many ventilators, N-95 masks,
gloves, gowns, surgical masks
and medical personnel as possible
in order to add to the
city’s stockpile. Having more
supplies, de Blasio said, will
prepare hospitals for the rising
wave of coronavirus patients,
which is expected to reach its
apex in 12 to 19 days.
BY ZACHARY GEWELB
Queens DA Melinda Katz
has tested positive for coronavirus,
according to the
Queens District Attorney’s
office.
Ikimulisa Livingston, a
spokeswoman for the DA’s
office, confirmed with QNS
that Katz tested positive for
COVID-19 after receiving the
news of the positive test results
on Saturday. Katz has
mild symptoms and is feeling
well again, Livingston said.
Politico reports that
while it is not clear exactly
how Katz was exposed to the
virus, spokesperson Doug
Forand said it was not at the
office or in the court system.
Katz, 54, and most of her
staff have been working from
home during the pandemic,
though a select few employees
have continued to work
in the office, according to the
Queens DA’s office.
Katz is the latest high-profile
New Yorker to test positive
for coronavirus, joining
MTA Chair Pat Foye and
Knicks owner James Dolan.
Reach editor Zach Gewelb
by e-mail at zgewelb@schnepsmedia.
com or by phone at
(718) 260–8303.
The hospital ship Comfort passes by the Statue of Liberty this
morning to help in the COVID-19 crisis. Photo by Bruce Cotler
Queens DA Katz tests
positive for COVID-19
USNS Comfort arrives
at New York Harbor
Relieve Pain.
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