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New York confirms six coronavirus cases

Mar 04, 2020 12:45 pm
Bethany Bump is reporting for the Times Union Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo announced in an early morning press conference Wed., Mar. 4, that six people in New York state have now tested positive for the new coronavirus. The six cases include a Westchester County man whose case was announced Tuesday, plus his three family members and a neighbor. The state's first case was confirmed Sunday in a New York City woman who had returned from Iran. "There is no need for undue anxiety," the governor said. "There are going to be dozens and dozens and dozens of people [infected]." Yeshiva University confirmed Wednesday the 20-year-old child of the Westchester County man tested positive for COVID-19, and the university has now decided to cancel classes for an undetermined period of time. At least one other student has been quarantined, despite showing no symptoms. In his remarks Wednesday morning, Cuomo cautioned against panic and repeated statistics that 80 percent of coronavirus patients get better on their own. In a related story, Emilie Munson is reporting for the Times Union Congress expects to approve billions in funding to combat the virus by the end of the week, but the deal was slowed by a partisan disagreement over controlling the costs of a vaccine and treatments. "We believe that the vaccine should be very cost-effective and not be out of the reach of average folks," said Senate Democratic Leader Charles E. Schumer on March. 3. Some Democrats are insisting all insurers, including Medicare and Medicaid, cover the costs of COVID-19 testing, treatments or a vaccine. A vaccine is in development, but it will not be available to the public for at least a year. Congress plans to direct approximately $8 billion toward coronavirus response. Read both stories in the Times Union.