Latest coronavirus updates in New York: Wednesday, April 29, 2020

NEW YORK — Below you will find the most up-to-date information on coronavirus news impacting New York. You can find additional resources and coverage on our coronavirus page.

11:30 a.m.
Gov. Andrew Cuomo called on the MTA to create a plan to disninfect NYC subways daily. Read more.

11:30 a.m.
Gov. Andrew Cuomo held his daily COVID-19 briefing. Watch in full below.

• 330 new coronavirus fatalities bring state death toll to nearly 18,000.
• Cuomo says the state is rapidly increasing testing. We are currently doing 30,000 tests per day.
• Cuomo says some New York counties will be eligible to start elective surgeries again, most of them are located upstate.
• Preliminary results of NYPD and FDNY antibody study: 17.1% of FDNY/EMT members and 10.5% of NYPD members tested found to have COVID-19 antibodies, for a downstate average of about 18%.
• Today New York will begin antibody testing of transit workers to further determine the spread among frontline workers. An initial 1,000 transit employees will be tested this week.
• Cuomo wants to see a plan from the MTA to clean and disinfect subways every night so essential workers can hopefully commute with some kind of peace of mind.
• Cuomo again says New York needs additional federal funding to fight COVID-19 and calls on the federal government to consider hazard pay for front-line workers who are giving their lives for us.
• “If human suffering and death doesn’t defeat Washington insider politics, then what will?” Cuomo says.

9:30 a.m.
New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio gives his daily coronavirus briefing. Watch in video below.

• Combat stress: “I never thought we had to use this word in the middle of New York City,” de Blasio said.

Mental health support:

• NYC H+H Helping Healers Heal Program: 24/7 behavioral health helpline for H+H staff (646) 815-4150
• FDNY: Gold Standard Counseling Services Unit: Counselors available 24/7 (212) 570-1693
• ThriveNYC: (888) NYC-WELL
• How do these healers manage the stress after they see so much death and stress? Crisis within a crisis
• Announcing Dept. of Defense Mental Health Support for NYC health care workers
  • Expertise in combat stress
  • Military trauma specialists to assess entire system and individual hospitals
    • Implement new programs
    • Train small groups at each hospital
    • Train 1,000 H+H health personnel and private hospital staff in combating stress management
    • Assess front-line personnel individually

Antibody testing:

• NYC to offer antibody tests for over 150,000 health care workers and first responders
  • Offer at hospitals, firehouses, police stations and correction facilities
  • Testing identifies likely past infection to COVID-19
  • Aim to begin testing by next week, test all health care workers and first responders within one month.
  • Partnership with US Dept. of Health and Human Services, and CDC
• Positive antibody tests does not mean full protection
• DHS to further reduce shelter density: Moving 1,000 more people from shelters into commercial hotels
• Goal of 1,000 more client move-outs each week as we move towards wide-scale testing
• Launching testing this week at DHS shelters, expanding across system by mid-May

Online marriage licenses

• Marriage license process available online starting next week (available in 11 languages)
• More info: NYC.GOV/CUPID and CITYCLERK.NYC.GOV

Key indicators:

• Number of people admitted to hospitals (136 up from 112 as of April 26)
• People in H+H ICUs (734 down from 745 as of April 26)

Brooklyn funeral:

• Mayor expressed concern when he heard news of a large gathering in Brooklyn.
• When people go through mourning, they’re in pain. Holding a large gathering in NYC - someone will be infected with the disease and will spread it to others and kill others in the community.
• Not allowing gatherings of any community.
• Police Commissioner Dermot Shea: Large gatherings put the NYPD at risk
• 3:30 p.m. learned of a passing of a prominent rabbi in the community. NYPD was contacted about what to expect in the area.
• Several thousand people came in and around the location.
• About 12 summonses issued
• “What happened last night simply cannot happen,” Shea said.
• Mayor apologizes to anyone offended by the tweet regarding the Brooklyn funeral, calling it “tough love,” but he does not regret calling out the dangers of large gatherings.

8:30 a.m.
Nassau County Executive Laura Curran said COVID-related hospitalizations in the community has declined.Watch interview here.

8:05 a.m.
NYC Schools Chancellor Richard Carranza discussed the state of city public schools. Watch interview here.

7 a.m.
Mayor de Blasio is facing backlash for outraged tweets over Brooklyn gathering for a rabbi's funeral. Read more here.

Latest official numbers:
As of Tuesday, there were over 17,600 COVID-19 fatalities in New York and over 295,00 confirmed cases across the state.

COVID-19 timeline: How novel coronavirus spread

Tips to protect yourself and others amid coronavirus outbreaks

The New York state coronavirus hotline is 1-888-364-3065; information is also being posted here