FOR BREAKING NEWS VISIT WWW.QNS.COM MARСH 12, 2020 • THE QUEENS COURIER 3
Two test positive for coronavirus in Queens
BY ZACHARY GEWELB
zgewelb@schnepsmedia.com
@QNS
Governor Andrew Cuomo declared a
state of emergency Saturday as the number
Cuomo introduces ‘superior’ NYS hand sanitizer
made by state’s incarcerated population
BY ALEX MITCHELL
amitchell@schnepsmedia.com
@QNS
Some of New York state’s incarcerated
population is to thank for a new, cost-effi
cient hand sanitizer that will be distributed
throughout schools, the MTA, and
other state agencies in upcoming days.
Governor Andrew Cuomo slathered
on the citrusy scented, fl oral bouquet
“NYS Clean” sanitizer in Albany on
Monday, calling it “superior” to competing
brands like Purell — which the governor
has also criticized for price gouging
in the wake of coronavirus
hysteria.
Cuomo also
t h re atened
to put NYS
Clean on the
open market
if “Mister
Amazon” and
others continue
to ramp up
pricing of hand
sanitizer and
related products.
NYS Clean
Hand Sanitizer
(Courtesy of
the Governor’s
Offi ce)
Pumping out 100,000 gallons per
week, the state’s prison labor agency
Corcraft is manufacturing the hand sanitizer
at $6.10 per gallon, $1.12 for a 7 oz.
bottle, and 84 cents for a small, handheld
hand sanitizer, Cuomo announced, also
boasting that it contains 75 percent alcohol
as opposed to the CDC recommended
60 percent.
One of the fi rst
batches will be sent
to New Rochelle,
a “significant
hotspot” for coronavirus
in the state,
according to the
governor.
Smoking and vaping increase risk of
serious illness with coronavirus: Mayor
BY ALEJANDRA O’CONNELLDOMENECH
adomenech@qns.com
@AODNewz
With 20 confi rmed coronavirus cases
now reported in New York City, Mayor
Bill de Blasio on Monday warned that
smoking or vaping increases the chance
that someone will become very ill if they
contract the illness.
People over 50 years old who suffer
from lung disease, heart disease,
cancer, a compromised immune system
or diabetes are the most vulnerable
in the city when it comes to complications
aft er contracting the virus.
“Th ose fi ve pre-existing conditions
are the single most
important indicators
that someone who
did contract coronavirus
would
be in danger of a
very bad medical
outcome,” said de
Blasio. “Th at is
essentially where
we are seeing people
lose their life.”
The mayor
added that the
city is still concerned
about
those who are
over 50 years old with no pre-existing
conditions, but their chances of becoming
severely ill from the virus are much
slimmer.
Th e largest group of New Yorkers, and
Americans in general, people under the
age of 50 and without a pre-existing condition
or compromised immune system
are the safest. De Blasio added that the
majority of those that contract
the disease will have a
“limited experience with
it” and will simply experience
what they would
with a cold or fl u.
“Aft er a period of days
you will be able to resume
your normal life,” said de
Blasio. Th e mayor stressed
that children, in general,
have not been affl icted
by the virus and when
they have been their
symptoms have
been minor. But
like with adults,
children suff ering
from a pre-existing
condition or
who smoke or
vape are more
vulnerable to
severe illness if
they contract
the virus.
сoronavirus
Photo by Darren McGee/ Offi ce of Governor Andrew M. Cuomo
Governor Andrew Cuomo confi rmed additional cases of novel coronavirus on Saturday.
of coronavirus cases continues to grow
statewide — with Queens being the latest
county to have a patient with the illness.
According to state Senator James
Sanders, the individual is hospitalized
at St. John’s Episcopal Hospital in Far
Rockaway. Th e patient is in isolation, and
no one else has been quarantined at the
medical center.
Mayor Bill de Blasio said Saturday evening
that the patient is a male Uber driver
in his 30s who drives on Long Island.
He is not a TLC licensed driver, according
to the mayor.
“Th e New York City Department of
Health has confi rmed that a patient at St.
John’s Episcopal Hospital has tested positive
for COVID-19,” a spokesperson for
St. John’s Episcopal Hospital said. “Th e
patient is currently in isolation and we are
closely monitoring team members who
may have been exposed to this patient.
We have been actively preparing for this,
and we will continue to follow all standard
infection control guidelines.”
Elected offi cials including Sanders,
Councilman Donovan Richards,
Congressman Gregory Meeks,
Assemblywoman Stacey Pheff er Amato
and city agencies planned a press conference
for 1 p.m. at St. John’s Episcopal
Hospital but it was subsequently canceled.
Th e press conference was meant to call
for increased funding and resources to
prepare Queens for more potential cases
of coronavirus.
“I was informed by St. John’s Episcopal
Hospital that they have a confi rmed case
of a patient with COVID-19, aka the
Coronavirus,” said Amato in a tweet. “Th e
patient has been isolated, and the hospital
are (sic) taking all necessary steps
& following all guidelines to ensure the
safety of the rest of their patients, hospital
staff , and surrounding community. I
encourage everyone to consistently wash
their hands, avoid touching their face,
and cover their mouths when sneezing or
coughing to reduce any risk of exposure.”
‘Critically ill’ Queens senior
is second in the borough to
test positive for coronavirus
Mayor de Blasio confi rmed Monday
that a second Queens resident tested positive
for coronavirus and is in critical condition.
According to the mayor, the 75-year-old
Queens resident is “critically ill” at a private
hospital in Queens. Th e man had a
fever, developed pneumonia, had shortness
of breath and ended up in the ICU,
de Blasio said, adding that the man has a
pre-existing condition of diabetes.
“Th is is someone we’re very, very worried
about,” de Blasio said Monday, “His
wife is asymptomatic and will be quarantined
and we are waiting to know more on
other contacts.”
Fighting against price gouging
Additionally, Cuomo called on the
New York State Department of State’s
Consumer Protection Division to launch
an investigation
into reports of
unfair price
increases of
c o n s u m e r
products such
as household
cleaning suppl
i e s
and
hand sanitizer amid the novel coronavirus
outbreak.
“I want businesses to be aware that you
could lose your license for price gouging.
Th is is serious. It is not just price gouging.
It is price gouging in an emergency
situation where you are being exploitative
of the public. And there are specifi c legal
provisions for price gouging in an emergency
situation. If you are a store, you can
lose your license and we are very serious
about this. For the few dollars that you
are going to make during this situation it
is not worth your while,” Cuomo added.
Cuomo said New Yorkers can report
suspected price
gouging by
calling a tollfree
hotline
at 1-800-697-
1220.
Courtesy of Governor’s Offi ce
Governor Andrew Cuomo introduces NYS Clean Hand Sanitizer in Albany.
Photo by Alejandra O’Connell-Domenech
Mayor Bill de Blasio during a press conference on coronavirus
at New York City’s Emergency Management
offi ce in Brooklyn on Monday, March. 9.
/WWW.QNS.COM
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