NEW YORK (1010 WINS) – A third person in New York City is being tested for the new coronavirus, health officials said Sunday—hours after they announced a second person was being investigated, and a day after they first said someone in the city may have the potentially deadly virus.
The third patient was hospitalized at New York Presbyterian-Queens in stable condition, officials said Sunday night.
The second patient is over 60 years old and hospitalized at Flushing Hospital Medical Center. He or she was also in stable condition, officials said Sunday evening.
That patient reported symptoms of a fever, cough or shortness of breath after traveling in mainland China and arriving in New York in recent days.
City health officials are still awaiting test results on a possible first case of coronavirus as the number of cases worldwide continues to climb, particularly in China, where hundreds have died.
"With the best public health system in the world, New York City stands ready to respond to any confirmed cases of the coronavirus," Mayor Bill de Blasio said in a statement Sunday. "I urge all New Yorkers to remain vigilant, and if you or anyone you know matches the criteria and have recently traveled to the affected areas of China, please see a medical professional.""We are continuing to work closely with our partners at the CDC, State and federal government as the coronavirus situation evolves," Health Commissioner Dr. Oxiris Barbot said in a statement. "If you have traveled to the area affected by the outbreak in the last 14 days and feel unwell, call your doctor or visit a clinic, and you will be cared for. Also, practice everyday precautions like you would during flu season—wash your hands frequently, and cover your mouth and nose when you sneeze. We remain grateful to all New Yorkers for their cooperation."
Samples from both patients have been sent to the CDC for analysis, with results expected in the next day or two.
Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced a hotline Sunday for New Yorkers to call about the coronavirus. The hotline, staffed by Health Department experts, is 1-888-364-3065.
"In situations like this, we take every precaution necessary to ensure the safety of New Yorkers," Cuomo said in a statement. "At the same time, perspective is key - and I want to remind people that New York currently has zero confirmed cases of this virus. We want all New Yorkers to know that the State and its agencies and authorities are on top of this situation and we will continue doing everything we can to keep people safe."
The city Department of Health is awaiting confirmation of a possible case of coronavirus announced Saturday—a person under 40 who is being treated at Bellevue Hospital in Manhattan.
The person had spent time in mainland China before arriving in the city on Thursday. They contacted their health care provider after coming down with symptoms and were brought by ambulance to Bellevue on Saturday morning.
"The patient is doing very well, stable," NYC Health Commissioner Oxiris Barbot said at a news conference on Saturday.
"This individual did what we have been asking New Yorkers to do, which is if you've traveled to affected areas in China within the last 14 days and you have symptoms – fever, cough, shortness of breath or you're feeling unwell – to contact your doctor or seek care in an emergency department," Barbot said.
Mayor Bill de Blasio stressed that the case is not yet confirmed.
"We will in the next 48 hours, hopefully sooner, get results back from the testing of this individual. If this is a positive case we will confirm that publicly, right away, and the individual will be treated until they're at a point they're not symptomatic and contagious," the mayor said.
De Blasio said it's understandable people are afraid given that the World Health Organization has declared the coronavirus outbreak a "health emergency."
"This is very frightening, but it's not Ebola," the mayor said, comparing it to the Ebola outbreak scares around 2014.
Officials said Saturday that it will take up to 48 hours to get the patient's test results back from the CDC.
Barbot said Sunday that there's a good chance the test results could come back negative.
"There are lots and lots and lots of viruses that can account for these symptoms," she said. "So we may get a negative result back, which will be terrific news for all of us. But I just want to remind New Yorkers that right now there is no one as a confirmed individual with coronavirus, and only one individual under investigation."
At a news conference on Sunday, City Council Speaker Corey Johnson said there is no need for panic.
"In this moment when everyone is understandably worried about coronavirus, we need to be factual. We need to be scientific and we need to be calm about how we communicate with the public," Johnson said.
Johnson said he has heard reports that businesses in Chinatown, Flushing and Sunset Park have seen a downturn amid fears over the coronavirus outbreak in China.
"I am here along with other elected officials to show support for Chinatown and for the Chinese community all across New York City," Johnson said Sunday. "A lot of these businesses count on an increase of business during Lunar New Year, and so we want to assure the public that we have the greatest health department in the world."
The Chinatown Lunar New Year parade will go on as scheduled next Sunday, officials said.
The CDC confirmed a ninth U.S. case of the coronavirus on Sunday—a woman in California.
The eighth confirmed U.S. case of coronavirus was confirmed in Boston on Saturday. A man in the city recovering and in isolation after coming down with the disease.
The man is in his 20s and lives in Boston. He recently returned from Wuhan, China, the epicenter of the outbreak.
Meanwhile, a new directive from the TSA requires airlines to ask passengers on flights outside the U.S. if they have visited mainland China in the last two weeks. If they have, they wouldn't be allowed into the U.S.
Major airlines have also canceled many flights to China.
The death toll in China climbed by 45 to 304, and the number of cases worldwide surged past 14,550, according to China's National Health Commission and other nations. The vast majority of those infected are in China; about 150 cases have been reported in two dozen other countries. The U.S. has recorded eight cases.
A hospital specially built to handle coronavirus patients in Wuhan is expected to open on Monday, just 10 days after construction began. A second hospital is set to open soon after.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Like 1010 WINS on Facebook and follow @1010WINS on Twitter to get breaking news, traffic, and weather for New York City.
