Uber Driver Is First Confirmed Coronavirus Case In Queens

FAR ROCKAWAY, QUEENS — An Uber driver in Far Rockaway became the first confirmed case of coronavirus in Queens over the weekend, according to city officials.

The 33-year-old man is in stable condition at St. John's Episcopal Hospital after contracting pneumonia as a symptom of the new coronavirus, officially known as COVID-19, Mayor Bill de Blasio said Sunday.

His wife, three children and in-laws are in isolation at home but showed no coronavirus symptoms as of Sunday. The hospital is monitoring 41 employees who are in voluntary isolation because they may have been exposed to the virus, de Blasio said.

The man worked as a rideshare driver on Long Island, officials said.

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He is one of 19 people who tested positive for the new coronavirus in New York City as of late Monday morning, according to the governor's office, though local health officials are bracing for a spike in cases as more people get tested. At least 2,000 New Yorkers are in voluntary isolation out of an abundance of caution.

Gov. Andrew Cuomo declared a state of emergency Saturday to make it easier for government agencies to procure resources like cleaning and testing supplies and to allow EMS workers to transport patients to quarantine locations outside of hospitals.

City officials are urging taxi and rideshare drivers to keep their vehicles clean and sanitized and to keep their windows open while driving.

Anybody who is sick should stay home and avoid crowded locations, officials say. New Yorkers who are concerned they might have the novel coronavirus should call the 311 hotline for instructions on how to proceed.

Common symptoms include fever, cough, shortness of breath and breathing difficulties, the World Health Organization says. In more severe cases, infection can cause pneumonia, severe acute respiratory syndrome or kidney failure and may be fatal.

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