New York Governor Declares State Of Emergency Over Coronavirus

NEW YORK, NY - MARCH 2: New York state Gov. Andrew Cuomo (C), New York City Mayor Bill DeBlasio (R) and New York state Department of Health Commissioner Howard Zucker hold a news conference on the first confirmed cas... NEW YORK, NY - MARCH 2: New York state Gov. Andrew Cuomo (C), New York City Mayor Bill DeBlasio (R) and New York state Department of Health Commissioner Howard Zucker hold a news conference on the first confirmed case of COVID-19 in New York on March 2, 2020 in New York City. A female health worker in her 30s who had traveled in Iran contracted the virus and is now isolated at home with symptoms of COVID-19, but is not in serious condition. Cuomo said in a statement that the patient "has been in a controlled situation since arriving to New York." (Photo by David Dee Delgado/Getty Images) MORE LESS

March 7, 2020 5:38 p.m.

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The governor of New York declared a state of emergency amid a growing outbreak of the coronavirus in the state.

During a press conference on Saturday, New York Governor Andrew Cuomo confirmed there were 76 cases of the virus in New York, the majority of which, 57, are in Westchester County. There are 11 cases in New York City and the rest are spread across three other counties, he said.

Only 10 people are currently hospitalized. Cuomo said that the state is set to receive “hundreds” of tests and will continue to push for more. New York now joins states like Maryland, California and Utah that have also declared a state of emergency over the outbreak.

The declaration gives the state more leverage to divert resources to local health care systems who are monitoring patients or quarantining those who have the virus, according to Cuomo.

“There’s no doubt that massive quarantine is the best way to slow the spread,” he said.

I am declaring a State of Emergency for New York amid an outbreak of #Coronavirus.

We will continue to provide updates to New Yorkers.

For more information on #COVID19, visit:https://t.co/u23HkuJln1

— Andrew Cuomo (@NYGovCuomo) March 7, 2020

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Nicole Lafond (@Nicole_Lafond) is TPM’s deputy editor, based in New York. She has also worked as the special projects editor and as a senior newswriter for TPM. She has a master’s degree in journalism from Columbia University and previously covered education in central Illinois.

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