NY Gov. Andrew Cuomo angrily demands help as coronavirus ‘spiking’ to 25,000 cases — infections doubling every 3 days
Quote:
Gov. Cuomo offered a grim update on the exploding coronavirus pandemic Tuesday, saying New York is in the grip of a frightening “spike” with 25,665 people now infected in the state and 210 dead.
Speaking at the Javits Center in Manhattan, where the state is stockpiling medical supplies and the feds are setting up a makeshift hospital, Cuomo mixed soaring rhetoric and raw anger.
“The rate of increase of infection is doubling every three days,” Cuomo said. “The curve is actually increasing.”
“It is spiking,” Cuomo said, speaking with boxes of gloves, masks and surgical gowns stacked up behind him. “That is a bad combination of facts.”
New York City had 14,776 COVID cases and 131 fatalities as of Tuesday morning, according to Mayor de Blasio’s office. Queens had the most cases out of any borough — 4,364.
The governor warned that the efforts to contain the virus are so far falling dramatically short.
“We were looking at a freight train. Now we are looking at a bullet train,” he said.
He harshly criticized the federal government for sending a shipment 400 ventilators, when the state needs 30,000 within days. He said that amounts to a death sentence to ailing New Yorkers.
"You pick the people who are going to die,” he bluntly said.
Vice President Mike Pence later said 2,000 ventilators were being sent Tuesday and another 2,000 on Wednesday.
Bitterly criticizing President Trump, Cuomo said New York was not ready to risk the lives of elderly or vulnerable people by restarting the economy before public health experts say it is safe.
Trump later hit back at Cuomo for “complaining." He claimed that Cuomo passed up the chance to buy 16,000 ventilators in 2015 for the state “at a very good price,” without elaborating.
Cuomo said it’s good that New York City residents are starting to heed warnings to limit social interaction and to stay off the streets.
But he conceded that the measures are still not working — and the worst is still at least two or three weeks away.
New York will now need an estimated 140,000 hospital beds, up from 110,000 estimated before. There are only about 50,000 hospital beds in the state now.
Famed NYC performance artist, drag legend Nashom Wooden dies from coronavirusQuote:
New York City nightlife legend Nashom Wooden, who once thrilled audiences as quick-witted drag diva Mona Foot, has died from the coronavirus, according to friends.
He was 50.
Tributes poured in across social media celebrating the life of a man whose drag queen persona lit up stages and hearts across the city.
Friend Wanda Acosta called Wooden “a New York institution” whose athletic, muscular physique made him stand out.
“He had been in the East Village LGBTQ scene since the late 80s.” Acosta said. “He was also a very talented outrageous creative performance artist. He was a lovely sweet talented gentle man “
In addition to performing as Mona Foot, Wooden was known for his being part of the The Ones, an electronic dance band whose 2001 single “Flawless” peaked at number seven on the UK Singles Chart.
The hit, which was sampled by singer George Michael for his 2003 dance smash "Flawless (Go to the City), was inspired by the 1999 film of the same name, in which Nashom appeared alongside actor Robert De Niro.
_________________
Professionally Identified and joined WP August 26, 2013
DSM 5: Autism Spectrum Disorder, DSM IV: Aspergers Moderate Severity
“My autism is not a superpower. It also isn’t some kind of god-forsaken, endless fountain of suffering inflicted on my family. It’s just part of who I am as a person”. - Sara Luterman
24 Mar 2020, 1:32 pm
