NEW YORK (1010 WINS) -- New York City Comptroller Scott Stringer launched an investigation into the city's response to the COVID-19 pandemic on Thursday — saying New Yorkers "deserved to know what city government did to prepare and prevent the worst."
LISTEN LIVE: 1010 WINS' 24/7 coverage of the coronavirus outbreak
The investigation will focus on the months leading up to the pandemic, starting on Nov. 1, 2019 and continuing through March 22 of this year, Stringer said in a release Thursday afternoon.
Stringer's own mother died of complications related to the virus at the beginning of April.
"As the city's independent fiscal and oversight officer, I am determined to examine what we knew, when we knew it and what we did about it," Stringer tweeted on Thursday.
My office is launching an investigation into NYC's preparedness and response to the #COVID19 pandemic.
— Scott M. Stringer (@NYCComptroller) May 14, 2020
As the City's independent fiscal and oversight officer, I am determined to examine what we knew, when we knew it, and what we did about it.https://t.co/VEQUhT8EsY
"Every single New Yorker deserves to know what city government did to prepare and prevent the worst," he added in the release.
Stringer's office is seeking all of the city's communications related to the coronavirus crisis, including "email(s), memoranda, guidance, rules, advisories, or other written information received, created or issued by the city that addressed COVID-19," the release notes.
As of Wednesday evening, a total of 186,293 New York City residents had tested positive for COVID-19, data released by the health department on Thursday shows.
New York City on Thursday also reported a total of 15,349 confirmed COVID-19 deaths and 5,057 probable COVID-19 deaths, bringing the combined death toll to 20,406.
Like 1010 WINS on Facebook and follow @1010WINS on Twitter to get breaking news, traffic, and weather for New York City.
