Here's the latest on the coronavirus outbreak in the region:
The Healthcare Association of New York State estimates hospitals in the state will collectively have $25 billion in losses from a decline in patient revenues and new expenses between March 2020 and April 2021 due to COVID-19. The group is lobbying for additional federal relief on top of the $9 billion New York hospitals have already received.
On Long Island, the 7-day positive test rate increased to 3.79%. The rest of New York is at 3.76%. The 7-day positive COVID-19 test rate in Connecticut is 4.47%, according to data released by the state.
Connecticut hospital systems are also asking Congress for more federal funding to keep operating at full throttle — even after the state received nearly $1 billion for hospitals to handle the first wave of the virus. The Yale-New Haven Health system reported an operating loss of $120 million in the fiscal year that ended September 30.
Officials in New York say two Long Island field hospitals built last spring at Stony Brook University and SUNY-Old Westbury could be quickly re-opened if needed this winter.
The state of Connecticut used Amazon to stock up on PPEs this fall. The Hartford Courant reports that the state purchased 750-thousand exam gloves this month from the online giant.
The mayor of East Haven, Connecticut has tested positive for COVID-19. Joseph Carfora says he has mild “allergy-like” symptoms, and doesn’t know where he was exposed.