2nd Coronavirus-Related NY Death Is Hudson Valley Resident

SUFFERN, NY — A second New Yorker's death was caused by the new coronavirus, officials said. Hours after Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced on Saturday that a Manhattan woman died after contracting the virus, Rockland County and local officials announced that a 64-year-old resident of Suffern had died.

"I have some unfortunate news to report here in the Village of Suffern," Mayor Ed Markunas wrote in a Facebook post. "This past Thursday one of our residents, a 64 yr. old village resident passed away."

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The Rockland County medical examiner's office and county health officials began their investigation of the death Thursday amid rumors that coronavirus was the cause. They confirmed the cause of the person's death Saturday, Markunas said. He noted the person had "significant" other health problems that likely contributed to the death.

Dr. Laura Carbone, the chief medical examiner said in a statement: "The death we have been investigating within the Village of Suffern on March 12, 2020 has tested positive for Coronavirus (COVID-19). We are confirming that this is the first death in Rockland County due to COVID-19." SEE: New York Coronavirus: Suffern Death Probed.

Carbone said there have been 13 positive cases of the new virus in Rockland County.

In announcing the news, Markunas said he was implementing and following guidelines issued by the county and federal health officials. He encouraged residents to follow the precautionary measures listed below to prevent to spread of germs:

• Stay home if sick and contact your medical provider before visiting their office.
• Wash hands often with soap and warm water for at least 20 seconds. If soap and water are not available, use an alcohol-based sanitizer that contains at least 60 percent alcohol.
• Avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth with unwashed hands.
• Cover your mouth and nose with a tissue or your sleeve (not your hands) when coughing or sneezing. If you use a tissue, throw it in the trash.
• Avoid shaking hands.
• Routinely clean and disinfect frequently touched objects and surfaces.
• Avoid close contact with people who are sick.

More than 600 cases were confirmed in New York as of Saturday, Cuomo said. That includes 213 in New York City, 172 in Westchester, 68 in Nassau and 33 in Suffolk.

"The new numbers, which are going up because the testing is now ramping up at a dramatic rate, we have 613 positive cases, we have [88] new cases from when we last spoke," Cuomo said.

Cuomo previously said the first confirmed coronavirus-related death in the state was an 82-year-old woman who had emphysema who died Friday night at a hospital in Brooklyn, 10 days after she was first admitted.

Concerns over coronavirus — which has infected more than 156,000 people worldwide as of Saturday morning and caused about 5,800 deaths — have had far-reaching effects. In a series of drastic moves, the NBA, NHL and MLS suspended their seasons and the NCAA canceled March Madness tournaments. The PGA Tour canceled the Players Championship after the first round. The virus also prompted President Donald Trump to restrict travel from Europe.

Cuomo banned gatherings of 500 or more people, shutting down Broadway. Events, gatherings or businesses with fewer than 500 individuals in attendance will be required to cut capacity by 50 percent. Exceptions will be made for spaces where individuals do not make sustained close contact, such as schools, hospitals, public buildings, mass transit, grocery stores and retail stores. Cuomo also banned all visitors to nursing homes and senior care facilities.

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Correction: A previous version of this article identified the resident as a woman. Officials initially did not reveal the person's gender and later identified him as a man.