The homeless are among the most vulnerable to the coronavirus, and in New York City, 75 homeless people have now succumbed to the virus, according to the Department of Social Services.
There are 920 homeless people in the city who have tested positive.
As the New York City subway system shuts down each night for disinfecting, the police are contacting the homeless who take shelter on the subways and trying to bring them to hospitals or shelters.
– NYC has 82 cases of Pediatric Multi-System Inflammatory Syndrome
In New York City there are 82 confirmed cases of Pediatric Multi-System Inflammatory Syndrome Associated with COVID-19, an inflammatory syndrome which has features that overlap with Kawasaki disease.
Howard Zucker, commissioner of the New York State Department of Health, said last week that “most children with COVID-19 only experience mild symptoms, but in some, a dangerous inflammatory syndrome can develop.”
Of those 82 cases, 53 tested positive for COVID-19 or antibodies, Mayor Bill de Blasio said on Wednesday.
New York City makes up the majority of New York state’s 102 reported cases. Three young people in New York state have died: a 5-year-old boy, 7-year-old boy and an 18-year-old woman.
New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo said Wednesday that 14 other states have reported cases: California, Connecticut, Delaware, Georgia, Illinois, Kentucky, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Mississippi, New Jersey, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Utah and Washington, as well as Washington, D.C.
“This is truly disturbing,” Cuomo said. “We raise it because it’s something parents should be aware of.”
“There are still unanswered questions,” de Blasio said, like what makes some children susceptible, how long it takes to manifest and the likelihood of it developing. But it is known that if diagnosed early, children can be treated effectively, he said.
Cuomo said the State Department of Health will host a webinar for health care providers Thursday to discuss the disease.
If a child has symptoms including persistent fever, rash, abdominal pain and vomiting, parents are urged to call their pediatrician immediately.