New York reports 4,800 additional COVID-19 cases, Army Corps of Engineers will begin construction on four temporary hospital sites

By NewsDesk @infectiousdiseasenews

The New York Department of Health recorded an additional 4,812 coronavirus disease 2019, or COVID-19 cases, bringing the statewide total to 15,168. This includes 9,045 cases in New York City.

Governor Andrew M. Cuomo today accepted the recommendation of the Army Corps of Engineers for four temporary hospital sites in New York State in an effort to address imminent capacity issues resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic. The Governor visited the four sites – the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center, and locations at SUNY Stony Brook, SUNY Old Westbury and the Westchester Convention Center — yesterday, and New York State is ready for the Army Corps of Engineers to begin construction immediately. Hospitals at the SUNY campus sites will be constructed indoors with outdoor tent support and the dormitories on the campuses will be used for healthcare staff to stay while working at the sites.

Governor Cuomo also announced that FEMA will erect four additional federal hospital facilities within the Javits Center, in addition to the temporary hospital to be constructed by the Army Corps. Each of the four federal hospitals will have 250 beds and come fully equipped and fully staffed by the federal government.

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The Governor also announced that the state will begin to implement drug trials and has acquired 70,000 doses of Hydroxychloroquine, 10,000 doses of Zithromax and 750,000 doses of Chloroquine. The trials will start Tuesday.



