March 30, 2020 By Allie Griffin The novel coronavirus has killed 256 Queens residents since the pandemic began and more than 1,218 residents across New York state, according to the latest data. Statewide, more than 250 New Yorkers died overnight and the number of COVID-19 cases grew to 66,497, Governor Andrew Cuomo said at a… Read more »
March 30, 2020 By Christian Murray A Brooklyn pastor died Friday from coronavirus—the first priest in the U.S. known to have succumbed to the virus. Father Jorge Ortiz-Garay, 49, pastor of St. Brigid’s Church in Wyckoff Heights, died Friday at Wyckoff Hospital Medical Center from complications relating to COVID-19. “This is a sad day and… Read more »
March 30, 2020, By Michael Dorgan Mayor Bill de Blasio has called for a rent freeze for over two million New Yorkers to help them get through the coronavirus pandemic. The freeze would apply to the 2.3 million people living in the city’s one million rent-stabilized units. Many residents have suffered economic hardship under the… Read more »
March 30, 2020 By Allie Griffin Queens District Attorney and former Borough President Melinda Katz has tested positive for coronavirus. Katz learned she had been exposed to someone who had the virus on March 21 and soon got tested. Her test results came back Saturday, confirming she was positive for COVID-19, Politico reported. Most of… Read more »
March 28, 2020 By Michael Dorgan Queens continues to be the borough hardest hit in New York City by the coronavirus, according to data released by the NYC Department of Health this morning. Since the beginning of the outbreak, there have been 517 deaths in New York City, with 174 of those deaths in the… Read more »
March 28, 2020 By Michael Dorgan Community leaders in Queens have come together to launch a new initiative to help support frontline medical staff who are battling the coronavirus. The project, called “Fuel the Frontlines,” will provide thousands of cooked meals to medical workers throughout the borough’s nine acute-care hospitals for one week, starting Sunday…. Read more »
March 27, 2020 By Allie Griffin Mayor Bill de Blasio has repeatedly said that he has no plans of releasing a neighborhood breakdown of coronavirus cases, despite numerous requests from reporters and the public. The mayor has only released borough breakdowns of the number of cases each day as the pandemic worsens and has said… Read more »
March 27, 2020 By Michael Dorgan New Yorkers plan to show their support and gratitude tonight for essential staff and health care workers who have been in the front line in the battle against COVID-19. People across the city are being asked to collectively clap for two-minutes at 7 p.m either outside their homes, at… Read more »
March 27, 2020 By Allie Griffin Governor Andrew Cuomo is calling for a 100,000-square-foot temporary hospital to be built at the site of Queens Aqueduct Racetrack. The governor is working to increase hospital capacity as the number of cases of coronavirus continues to increase across the state. There are now more than 44,000 cases statewide,… Read more »
March 27, 2020, By Michael Dorgan Council Member Robert Holden is calling on the mayor to help essential workers who fear contracting COVID-19 and bringing it home and infecting their loved ones. Holden has asked Mayor Bill de Blasio to provide hotel rooms for frontline workers and first responders as a way to protect them… Read more »