NYPD Announces 177 Officers Have Tested Positive for Coronavirus
New York is now at the epicenter of the coronavirus outbreak in the U.S
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As New York City continues to suffer the impact of the deadly coronavirus, the city's police force announced over 200 of its employees tested positive for the Chinese virus, according to a police commissioner.
Commissioner Dermot Shea said that 211 NYPD members tested positive for the coronavirus; these included 177 uniformed officers and 34 civilian employees, according to WCBS.
Shea added that another 2,700 to 2,800 are out sick.
New York is now at the epicenter of the coronavirus outbreak in the U.S., as the City announced nearly 15,000 confirmed cases.
"It's a trend as you talk about what we've seen and what we're trying to do with social distancing, and lowering the curve," the police commissioner said.
"What we're seeing internally as an agency on the frontlines is we are still on an upward climb," he added.
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Shea made the comments hours after Mayor Bill de Blasio (D) said the city’s current amount of medical equipment wouldn't likely last two weeks, adding though 2,400 ventilators are en route, they need 15,000.
"We do not expect this to go quickly," de Blasio said.
"I wish we did, but we don't."
"April will be unquestionably worse than March, and right now, my fear is that May could be worse than April,” he added.
"A ventilator will be the difference between life and death for thousands of New Yorkers," de Blasio said.
Pelosi still stalling coronavirus bill in order to get money for Planned Parenthood abortion provider
— Neon Nettle (@NeonNettle) March 25, 2020
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As Neon Nettle reported earlier this week, the coronavirus is currently killing residents of New York City at a rate of over one per hour.
Fourteen people in New York City died from the virus between 10 a.m. and 6 p.m, as the death total increase to 43 in the Big Apple.
The toll had been 29 before Friday’s increase in deaths.
The reports show the city's single-day toll had hit double digits for the first time.
Dr. Oxiris Barbot, New York's Health Commissioner, warned residents that double-digit daily deaths might well become the new normal, at least for a time.
“I wouldn’t be surprised if we get to a day when we have double-digits new people dying every day,” she said at a City Hall press conference.
