SUFFOLK COUNTY, NY — Suffolk County saw a dramatic uptick in deaths related to the new coronavirus Friday, with eight new deaths reported, according to Suffolk County Executive Steve Bellone. And as Gov. Andrew Cuomo said schools would remain closed an additional two weeks, until April 15, a new, free daycare was unveiled for Suffolk County health care professionals and first responders, and others on the front line battling the war.

Bellone, whose mandatory quarantine ends Saturday, said he would continue to follow protocols and social distancing. Bellone reported eight new deaths Friday, bringing the county total to 20. They include a man in his 80s at Stony Brook University Hospital on March 25; a female in her 80s at Huntington Hospital Thursday; a woman in her late 90s at St. Catherine of Siena; a man in his late 40s at Long Island Jewish Medical Center on March 25; a woman in her 80s at Huntington Hospital on Thursday; a woman in her 80s at Huntington Hospital Friday; a man in his 60s at Stony Brook University Hospital on March 23; and a woman in her 80s at Good Samaritan Hospital Medical Center on Thursday. All, he said, had underlying conditions.

The number of cases continues to rise countywide, Bellone said, to 3,385; 650 new positive cases were reported in 24 hours. There are 331 confirmed hospitalizations, a number that has more than doubled in three days. Currently, 119 are in ICU beds; three days ago, that number was 50. New free daycare

With Cuomo's announcement that schools will remain closed until at least April 15, Bellone announced a new day care program, the Suffolk County Child Care Consortium, that's up and running for health care workers and first responders. The program will be staffed by trained childcare professionals. Enrollment is on a first come first serve basis and will be limited based on space and staffing. Residents with any questions regarding the Suffolk Childcare Consortium should call Suffolk 311 or go to scopeonline.us to register.

"While closing the schools was the right thing to do to help contain the spread of the Coronavirus, one of our main concerns was the availability of childcare for our first responders and medical professionals who are on the front lines of this crisis," said Bellone. "With this emergency childcare program, students will be able to learn in a safe environment, while their parents continue to go to work and help save lives."

To qualify for the program, children must be between the grades of Pre-K to Grade 6. Throughout the day, children will be able to participate in a variety of activities, including completing their school's distance learning requirements.

A list of participating school districts and locations can be found below. Priority will be given to the families of the school district in which the program is held. · Babylon School District — Babylon Elementary School