Harlem Man Loses Arm In Fight Against Coronavirus: Report

HARLEM, NY — A Harlem man was forced to have his arm amputated following a three-week hospital stay after falling ill with the deadly coronavirus, according to reports.

Anibal Ortiz suffered unbearable pain in his arm days after being discharged from Montefiore Medical Center in the Bronx, which landed him back in the hospital with a grim diagnosis, the court officer told PIX11. Ortiz, 53, was suffering from a blood clot that would require amputation, according to the report. If the surgery was put off, Ortiz could have died.

Ortiz, who works as a court officer, told the news station that doctors amputated his left arm below the elbow. The Harlem resident said that he fears New York courts were closed too late when coronavirus was spreading rapidly in the city.

"We were exposed two weeks too long," Otiz told PIX11. "I worry about my brothers and sisters going back to work."

New York's stay-at-home executive order "New York PAUSE" went into effect March 22. The order, passed by New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo, shut down nonessential businesses and schools throughout the state. Many state courts closed as early as March 16 for non-essential business. Pending criminal and civil court cases have been conducted over videoconferences since the physical courts were closed. Courts are not accepting new cases.

See the full PIX11 report here.