STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- The first case of the coronavirus (COVID-19) on Staten Island was confirmed Monday, according to an internal Staten Island University Hospital (SIUH) memo obtained by the Advance/SiLive.com.

Earlier in the day, officials said New York became the state most affected by the virus with 143 cases. The most recent case means at least one patient is confirmed to have the virus in each borough.

The memo sent to SIUH staff said the patient was handled with proper protocols at the Prince’s Bay campus, adding that employees will monitor their temperature twice a day for 14 days “out of an abundance of caution.”

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Because the staff followed proper protocol, according to the memo, self-quarantine is not necessary.

A source with knowledge of the case said the individual is an adult patient who came into the hospital exhibiting symptoms over the weekend.

The patient was sent home, according to the source, and results came back on Monday testing positive for the coronavirus.

An SIUH spokesman said a Staten Island University Hospital patient was confirmed for COVID-19 by the New York State Department of Health.

“Upon arriving at the hospital, the patient was immediately provided with a procedural mask outside of the emergency department. The patient was brought into an isolation area of the hospital where protective measures were done to ensure the safety of our other patients and our front line staff,” according to the spokesman.

“After initial evaluation, The New York State Department of Health requested testing for COVID-19 and the patient was discharged home for self-quarantine as per state recommendation,” the spokesman added. “The staff that cared for the patient is being closely monitored by the hospital’s Employee Health Services as a precaution.”

“We are confident in our ability to meet the challenges posed by the spread of the coronavirus,” the spokesman said. “We have implemented strong clinical and operational protocols designed to quickly identify potential COVID-19 patients as they enter our facilities, isolate them appropriately, prevent transmission of infections and protect front-line caregivers from potential exposure. We also continue to work closely with federal, state and local health officials, and refine our protocols as the situation evolves.”

“Northwell Health activated its emergency operations center on February 4th, which is staffed seven days a week, so we can remain in constant contact with all of our hospitals and other facilities. Operating in this heightened state of readiness allows us to quickly mobilize system-wide resources if the need arises," the spokesman said.

The first Staten Island case comes the same day Mayor Bill de Blasio said it is “inevitable that we will have more and more cases.”

Dr. Theodore Maniatis, who is responsible for all medical affairs, quality management, patient safety issues and standards of care at the SIUH system, previously told the Advance/SiLive.com that the Ocean Breeze and Prince’s Bay facilities are “almost always full,” complicating the amount of space that would be available in the event of vast community spread, which has not occurred on the borough thus far.

“I would say if we needed 10 extra beds, that wouldn’t be a problem. If we needed 100, we would be very hard pressed to handle that much,” said Maniatis.

STATEN ISLAND HOSPITALS GIVEN ‘GREEN LIGHT’ FOR TESTING

Both Staten Island hospital systems recently received the green light from the state Department of Health (DOH), the federal government and the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) to begin testing for coronavirus, the Advance/SiLive.com reported.

A spokesman for SIUH said any samples taken at the hospital will be sent to Northwell’s Long Island laboratory. Previously, samples were being sent to the CDC’s lab in Atlanta.

The lab is able process tests results in approximately six hours. When the lab becomes semi-automated, testing turnaround time will be close to three hours and full-automated testing can be completed in 90 minutes, the SIUH spokesman said.

Richmond University Medical Center (RUMC) was given the OK from the CDC to begin testing with kits on site, a RUMC spokesman told the Advance.

“If a test is performed, the specimen is then sent to the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene’s Public Health Laboratory in Manhattan for diagnosis,” the spokesman said.

Results of that testing will be available within 24 to 48 hours.

TRANSMITS EASIER THAN THE FLU

Officials are now saying the coronavirus transmits easier than the flu and are urging people to use common sense and cleanliness best practices to avoid contracting the virus:

Frequent hand washing for at least 20 seconds;

Stay at home if you feel sick;

Avoid handshaking;

Cover your cough/sneeze.

Due to widespread shortages of hand sanitizer, the state will immediately begin production of 100,000 gallons of its own per week, Cuomo announced, that will be distributed to government agencies, schools, the MTA, prisons, and other in-need groups.

On Sunday, de Blasio also set forth a series of recommendations to aid in the effort to stop the spread of coronavirus in New York.

In addition to “common sense practices like washing your hands with soap and water often and covering your nose and mouth with a sleeve or tissue whenever you sneeze or cough" -- measures repeated often by health officials -- de Blasio said to make efforts to limit unnecessary contact, such as avoiding handshakes for the foreseeable future.

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