Coronavirus updates March 21: 10 new cases of COVID-19 in Monroe County, Holiday Inn downtown closes

Editor's note: This story has March 21's information about the coronavirus pandemic in Rochester and Monroe County. To see the latest version, please click here.

Latest COVID-19 numbers from Monroe County

As of 10 a.m. Sunday, there are 63 confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Monroe County.

Of the 63 confirmed cases, 17 are new since Saturday evening.

Local fatalities: 1.

11 people are hospitalized (up form 10 on Saturday), 289 are in mandatory quarantine (up from 218 on Saturday).

Of the 46 cases:

5 are in their 20s

6 are in their 30s

5 are in their 40s

9 are in the 50s

9 are in their 60s

8 are in their 70s

4 are in their 80s

24 were male

22 were female

Hilton mom fears she has COVID-19 but can't get her sick kids tested

Cherriese, a 32-year-old Hilton mom, was told by hospital staff that she probably has COVID-19. She was tested at a local hospital and sent home, but she doesn't have the results five days later.

Meanwhile, her 4-year-old daughter had the same symptoms and told Cherriese she felt like her heart was broken and she needed help to fix it. Her 1-year-old son with a heart defect was also ill.

She has been unable to get her children tested for the coronavirus. Cherriese, who isn't sure she's going to survive, still had to care for her sick kids, resorting to homemade remedies and rocking them until they fell asleep.

Her children seem to be recovering.

"After that happened, I was happy about the kids, but I couldn't breathe myself," she said. "Me, personally, I thought I was going to die."

Wayne County has two new cases

Two more people in Wayne County have tested positive for COVID-19, according to Wayne County Public Health on Saturday afternoon. The county now has three confirmed cases and all three people are being treated at area hospitals.

Of the three cases

1 female in her 80s

1 male in his 70s

1 male in his 60s

DMV closed due to coronavirus

New York's Department of Motor Vehicles is extending grace periods for expiring vehicle registrations and licenses as all DMV offices were ordered closed Saturday to prevent coronavirus transmission.

More than 60 online transactions remain available, DMV said, including registration and license renewal, as well as the ability to plead or pay New York City traffic tickets.

Holiday Inn Downtown Rochester closing through April 30

The Holiday Inn at 70 State St. in Rochester is closing temporarily through April 30. All business from May 1 on has not been impacted and the hotel is booking those dates as usual, according to a statement from General Manager Paul Kremp.

"This is the most difficult decision I have made in my career - particularly because of the impact it will have on our employees and their families," Kremp said. "The safety and health of our guests and employees are our number one concern and we look forward to getting back to some semblance of normal in the near future.”

The Holiday Inn Downtown Rochester received thousands of dollars in room and catering cancellations. Almost all of the staff at the 217-room hotel have been laid off. Employees are being encouraged to apply for unemployment benefits. There were no known cases of COVID-19 among staff of guests, the release said.

The hotel may reopen for health care or other medical agency emergencies if beds are needed.

Day care shutdown upends Rochester families

Across the Finger Lakes, at least 200 — nearly one in five — child care centers shut down this week. In the city of Rochester, it's closer to half.

"Who is watching these children? Lt. Gov. Kathy Hochul asked. "That is a new crisis that we have to get our arms around."

Parents are trying to figure out how they can continue to work and care for their children. Vickie Mason has a 3-year-old daughter and works at Unity Hospital per diem. If she can't find someone to care for her child, she can't work.

"I am scared to death of being homeless again. If I don’t work, I don’t get paid," Mason said.

Monroe County, city extend property tax deadline

Monroe County Executive Adam Bello has extended the due date for third installment payments of town and county real property taxes from March 31 until April 30.

Rochester Mayor Lovely Warren similarly has extended fourth quarter property tax, water and refuse payments.

No in-person payments are being accepted. Taxpayers instead are encouraged to pay online or by mail. No interest will accrue with the delay.

According to a county news release: "The intent of the order is to ensure that if a property owner is current on their installment payments and pays the third and fourth installments on or before April 30, they will not be subject to additional fees."

User fees for online payments are being waived. A lockbox is being installed for payment drop-off at the County Office Building, 39 W. Main St. Payments will continue to be accepted by mail. A lockbox already exists at City Hall at the Fitzhugh Street entrance, where taxpayers are urged to pay by check.

Here's how to report your employer if it isn't follow labor rules

State Attorney General Letitia James, in a statement Saturday, urged workers to contact her office and file a complaint, if they have concerns.

Anyone who suspects their employer is in violation of either existing labor laws or recently issued executive orders can call (212) 416-8700 or email Labor.Bureau@ag.ny.gov.

Brockport quarantine students going home

The first of the study-abroad students in precautionary quarantine at The College at Brockport are headed home.

Checkout was Saturday morning for 14 students remaining from the first group that arrived from Italy earlier this month. A couple left on Friday, said college spokesman John Follaco. Roughly a dozen students who arrived later from Japan and South Korea remain and should be released in the coming days.

All are healthy, and Follaco said he was not aware of any positive tests in the college community. Brockport is on spring break, with classes set to resume on Monday. Those have moved online. College officials decided Friday to close the residence halls and student housing, and have asked all students to move home, he said.

Rochester suspends parking fees for garages, meters

Parking both metered and in city garages will be free beginning Saturday.

The city also is suspending monthly permit fees at the Court Street, East End, Genesee Crossroads, High Falls, Mortimer, Sister Cities, South and Washington Square garages. There was no immediate word regarding Midtown and St. Joseph’s garages, which are privately owned.

The move is meant to reduce the potential spread of the novel coronavirus, and to assist residents working from home and potentially paying for a permit they are not using.

Alternative parking regulations will still need to be followed and tickets will continue to be issued for parking infractions.

NYS Thruway to implement emergency toll procedures

The New York State Thruway will stop collecting cash for tolls and will instead bill each driver by license plate as part of its COVID-19 response.

The new toll policy will begin at 8 p.m. Sunday, according to the Thruway Authority.

Customers without E-ZPass will enter the Thruway in a cash lane and continue through the lane without collecting a ticket. They will exit the Thruway and inform the toll collector which exit they entered and provide their license plate information.

Motorists will be sent a bill in the mail in approximately 30 days. Bills will be sent to the registered owner of the vehicle at the address on file with DMV. Customers can pay with a credit card on the Thruway Authority website.

E-ZPass customers will not be impacted and can travel through E-ZPass lanes as they normally otherwise.

You can find the full policy here.

Call ahead on hospital donations – or just send a note

While grateful for the outpouring of community support, Rochester Regional Health is asking residents to call ahead and not to buy items to donate.

In a statement, the provider said: “Many types of equipment and medical items are in short supply, but due to regulatory requirements we are only allowed to accept items under certain circumstances.”

Buying critical items therefore further depletes the supply. Those interested in making a donation should first call (585) 922-4800 or email RRHFoundation@rochesterregional.org.

The best way to help is a monetary gift, and Rochester Regoinal has set up a COVID-19 Support Fund. Simple notes of encouragement and thanks to RRHFoundation@rochesterregional.org also are welcome, and will be distributed across the system.

How to file for unemployment in New York

The state Department of Labor have been receiving hundreds of thousands of calls and visits to its website per day. The state waived the seven-day waiting period for unemployment insurance and is implementing a filing system that spreads out filings over multiple days of the week, based on the first letter of a filer’s last name.

RCSD's free wireless devices bridge digital divide amid outbreak

A free initiative sponsored by Sprint has provided Rochester City School District students with high-speed wireless hot spots.

More than 1,700 RCSD high school students gained home internet for the first time in the last several months, potentially easing the transition to remote learning during the coronavirus pandemic.

Rochester Lilac Festival canceled

The 122nd annual Rochester Lilac Festival, slated to run May 8 to 17, was canceled Friday, according to a Facebook post from organizers. Organizers still hope to reschedule.

Livingston County residents alerted for possible exposure

Anyone who visited the Geneseo Wegmans, 4827 Genesee Valley Plaza Road, between 1 to 1:30 p.m. on March 15 might've been exposed to COVID-19, county health officials announced Friday.

If you were at the store at that time, please contact the Livingston County Department of Health at (585) 243-7270. The county department of health will remain open from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday and Sunday.

LCDOH will be open Saturday, March 21 – Sunday, March 22 from 8AM – 4PM in addition to its normal weekday hours. Jennifer Rodriguez, Livingston County Public Health Director, said, “We advise all residents to practice social distancing as we are seeing community spread of COVID-19 in Livingston County.”

All non-essential travel, gatherings and work banned

New York is banning all non-essential travel, mandating everyone not critical to their workplace to stay at home and requiring all businesses to shutter if they do not fit specific criteria.

Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced the sweeping ramp up of restrictions on movement in New York on Friday as the novel coronavirus spread through the state, with New York having the highest number of confirmed cases in the nation.

He called it "New York State on Pause," and it takes effect Sunday evening. Mass transit will stay operational; food delivery services will stay open.