Two Flushing hospitals treat suspected cases of coronavirus

A woman wears a facemask during Chinatown’s Lunar New Year Parade on Sunday. Though there have been a handful of suspected cases of coronavirus in Queens, community leaders and lawmakers have urged New Yorkers to participate in day-to-day activities while washing their hands and covering their mouths when they sneeze of cough. Photo by Emil Cohen via City Council/Flickr.

By Jonathan Sperling

At least two patients at Flushing hospitals are being tested for the novel coronavirus amid an international outbreak of the lung illness, officials with the New York City Health Department announced Sunday.

The two patients, both of whom have recently traveled to mainland China, are hospitalized at Flushing Hospital Medical Center and Flushing’s New York-Presbyterian Queens. Both of the unidentified individuals are over the age of  60 and reported a fever and cough or shortness of breath without another common cause, like the flu and other cold viruses, according to the Health Department.

Testing to confirm cases of the novel coronavirus will take a minimum of 36-48 hours and depends on the testing capacity of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Health Department spokesperson Michael Lanza told the Eagle that there were “no updates” regarding the patients’ status as of press time Monday.

“We are continuing to work closely with our partners at the CDC, State and federal government as the coronavirus situation evolves,” Health Department Commissioner Dr. Oxiris Barbot said in a statement. “If you have traveled to the area affected by the outbreak in the last 14 days and feel unwell, call your doctor or visit a clinic, and you will be cared for. 

Barbot also urged New Yorkers to practice “everyday precautions,” such as hand washing and covering one’s mouth and nose when sneezing.

If the two patients are confirmed to have the novel coronavirus, they would be the ninth and tenth confirmed cases in the United States. There are more than 14,000 confirmed cases globally and 300 deaths have been attributed to novel coronavirus.

A Health Department spokesperson told the Brooklyn Eagle that the agency could not reveal the two patients’ addresses or time spent in the city before notifying officials because of patient confidentiality.

An NYPD email last Friday sparked fears of a patient with confirmed coronavirus at Elmhurst Hospital. The Eagle and the Daily News obtained an email sent to police officers at eight Queens police precincts shortly before 2 a.m. Friday morning that advised officers to wear face masks if transporting a suspect to “EGH” — an acronym for Elmhurst General Hospital, now known as NYC Health + Hospitals/Elmhurst.

The Health Department denied that report as did a spokesperson for Elmhurst Hospital. At that time, there were no suspected cases of coronavirus in New York City, the city said. 

The first individual identified for testing for the novel coronavirus in New York City was a 40-year-old woman admitted to Bellevue Medical Center in stable condition on Saturday. Her case had not been confirmed by the Health Department as of press time Monday.

In a statement issued Sunday, Mayor Bill de Blasio urged New Yorkers to “remain vigilant.”

“With the best public health system in the world, New York City stands ready to respond to any confirmed cases of the coronavirus,” de Blasio said.