Three men were found dead over the weekend at a hotel in New York City that is being used to quarantine those released from hospital after testing positive for coronavirus.
Two men, aged 42 and 70, were found dead in rooms at the Hilton Garden Inn on West 37th Street in Manhattan on Saturday, a spokesperson for the New York Police Department told Newsweek. A 64-year-old man was found dead in a room on Sunday.
The police spokesperson said the three deaths were unrelated and were not deemed suspicious.They have been referred to the Medical Examiner, who will determine the cause of death for the three men, the spokesperson added.
The police spokesperson added that the hotel is under a contract with NYC Emergency Management to house individuals who have been released from city hospitals after testing positive for COVID-19, the disease caused by the novel coronavirus.
In a statement to ABC7, the City of New York said New Yorkers quarantining in these hotels have been determined to not require hospitalization or medical care.
“The health and safety of anyone staying in isolation hotels is of the utmost importance and the City is taking every precaution to ensure their needs are met while they quarantine,” the statement said.
NYC Mayor Bill de Blasio’s office and Hilton Hotels have been contacted for additional comment.
On Friday, de Blasio said the city would be providing another 11,000 hotel rooms for those unable to quarantine safely at home.
“Anyone who needs that quarantine, who’s in a situation where they can’t properly socially distance from the people around them—they’re symptomatic or they have a test positive—if they want to be in one of the hotel rooms, it will be provided to them for free,” he said.
New York City—the epicenter of the coronavirus outbreak in the U.S.—has 129,788 confirmed cases of COVID-19 and 8,811 confirmed deaths as well as another 4,429 probable deaths, according to the latest figures from the NYC Health Department.
More than 34,000 coronavirus patients are hospitalized in the city as of 1.30 p.m. on Sunday.
Meanwhile, the number of confirmed cases across the country has surpassed 759,000, according to data collected by Johns Hopkins University. The nationwide death toll has topped 40,000, while more than 70,000 people have recovered.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Advice on Using Face Coverings to Slow Spread of COVID-19
- CDC recommends wearing a cloth face covering in public where social distancing measures are difficult to maintain.
- A simple cloth face covering can help slow the spread of the virus by those infected and by those who do not exhibit symptoms.
- Cloth face coverings can be fashioned from household items. Guides are offered by the CDC. (https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/prevent-getting-sick/diy-cloth-face-coverings.html)
- Cloth face coverings should be washed regularly. A washing machine will suffice.
- Practice safe removal of face coverings by not touching eyes, nose, and mouth, and wash hands immediately after removing the covering.
World Health Organization advice for avoiding spread of coronavirus disease (COVID-19)
Hygiene advice
- Clean hands frequently with soap and water, or alcohol-based hand rub.
- Wash hands after coughing or sneezing; when caring for the sick; before, during and after food preparation; before eating; after using the toilet; when hands are visibly dirty; and after handling animals or waste.
- Maintain at least 1 meter (3 feet) distance from anyone who is coughing or sneezing.
- Avoid touching your hands, nose and mouth. Do not spit in public.
- Cover your mouth and nose with a tissue or bent elbow when coughing or sneezing. Discard the tissue immediately and clean your hands.
Medical advice
- Avoid close contact with others if you have any symptoms.
- Stay at home if you feel unwell, even with mild symptoms such as headache and runny nose, to avoid potential spread of the disease to medical facilities and other people.
- If you develop serious symptoms (fever, cough, difficulty breathing) seek medical care early and contact local health authorities in advance.
- Note any recent contact with others and travel details to provide to authorities who can trace and prevent spread of the disease.
- Stay up to date on COVID-19 developments issued by health authorities and follow their guidance.
Mask and glove usage
- Healthy individuals only need to wear a mask if taking care of a sick person.
- Wear a mask if you are coughing or sneezing.
- Masks are effective when used in combination with frequent hand cleaning.
- Do not touch the mask while wearing it. Clean hands if you touch the mask.
- Learn how to properly put on, remove and dispose of masks. Clean hands after disposing of the mask.
- Do not reuse single-use masks.
- Regularly washing bare hands is more effective against catching COVID-19 than wearing rubber gloves.
- The COVID-19 virus can still be picked up on rubber gloves and transmitted by touching your face.
