New York City coronavirus death toll surpasses 1,000

New York City’s death toll from the coronavirus topped 1,000 on Tuesday, a grim milestone as the city grapples with a rising number of COVID-19 cases.

The New York City Department of Health announced in an update Tuesday that 1,096 people have died from the highly infectious virus. There are more than 41,000 people infected with the illness, and more than 8,500 people are hospitalized.

The new total is a jump of 932 from the morning’s tally. The vast majority of the deaths so far have occurred in patients aged 75 years and older.

New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio (D) said Tuesday that there will be a surge in first responders to battle the spread of the virus, including a boost of 500 paramedics and emergency medical technicians and 2,000 nurses as well as 250 ambulances. The city is also converting large public areas such as the Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in Queens into emergency hospitals.

New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo (D) also said over the weekend that President Trump had approved four new facilities in the city to serve as temporary hospitals, providing an additional 4,000 hospital beds. The new sites will join the Javits Center in Manhattan as temporary hospitals, with the goal of each borough having its own emergency facility. 

De Blasio said he’s asked the White House for additional resources, including 1,000 nurses, 350 respiratory therapists and 150 doctors from the armed forces. 

“I have reiterated that need and that request, and I have to say in many ways it’s a demand because this is about saving lives in time,” he said Tuesday.