Across the nation we have seen an abundance of coronavirus outbreaks in New York, California and Washington. Although health officials predict that the states of Louisiana and Michigan are upcoming epicenters of the coronavirus. As of Monday, March 30, there were over 143,667 cases of the coronavirus in the United States. About half were in New York – approximately 10 times more than any other state. Why is New York being affected more than other states?

Tourist Destination 

New York City is often referred to as “The City That Never Sleeps” or “The Big Apple”. NYC is a world-renowned tourist destination in the U.S. for a multitude of reasons. First, it has the Statue of Liberty, which symbolizes America’s independence, and is particularly special to New York. In addition to Times Square, the Brooklyn Bridge, Central Park, Broadway, Wall Street, and more. 

It is without question that New York is a well-known state, which is also the reason why the coronavirus outbreak has impacted it so much. There are approximately 8.6 million people living in New York City, which makes the spread of disease quite easy. Especially when public transportation through subways, trains, buses, and taxi cabs are quite common. 

International Travel 

Another reason why New York is seeing so many coronavirus cases is that “We have international travelers who were in China and who were in Italy and who were in Korea and who came here,” Governor Andrew Cuomo said. “And I have no doubt that the virus was here much earlier than we even know. And I have no doubt that the virus was here much earlier than it was in any other state. Because those people come here first.”

Even though President Trump implemented travel restrictions in early February, it was too late. The virus was already circulating throughout the world and it would be impossible to prevent it from spreading to other countries. This is why approximately 140 countries around the world have had cases of the virus.

One can assume that individuals with coronavirus traveled to the U.S. in January and early February, especially New York, while unknowingly carrying the virus. Many people are asymptomatic but can still spread the virus. It is believed that this is why the spread is so rapid across New York State, with the majority of cases in New York City. 

Densely Packed Areas

When in New York City, you will experience being packed together on the train or subway, sitting close to another table at a restaurant, or accidentally bumping into someone while walking on a crowded street. This social closeness is impossible to miss with nearly 9 million people, however, it is a petri-dish for the spread of diseases such as this. 

New York City is the largest and most populated city in the U.S., this is an obvious reason for the state’s issues with slowing the spread of the virus. According to New York State Governor Cuomo, “That spatial closeness makes us vulnerable.” However, strong social distancing measures that are being taken will help prevent an increase in cases. 

Mass Testing

New York has a high amount of cases due to the massive amounts of testing being done. The numbers are going up as more and more people are being tested across the state. The U.S. has struggled to receive adequate numbers of testing kits in recent weeks, and many believe that earlier testing could have prevented the number of cases from surging. 

In New York and other states, drive-through testing centers are being set up in very affected areas. On Long Island, Jones Beach is being used for drive-through testing. This way people who may not be sick will not be going to the hospital or other healthcare facilities. This reduces the burden on hospitals and prevents healthy people from mixing with sick individuals. 

Widespread testing that is being performed in New York makes the number of cases look bad but is important in identifying those who are affected and unaffected by the virus. The more tests that are done, the more we can isolate those people who have the virus and stop it spreading.

The Need For Ventilators

A hospital in New York that is being overwhelmed with patients and running out of PPC is Elmhurst Hospital in Queens, NY. The emergency room is said to be packed with mostly coronavirus patients and running low on ventilators. Dr. Colleen Smith, an emergency room doctor, says: “It feels too little too late” and “we knew it was coming.”

As of Monday, March 30, there were more than 59,513 cases in New York, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Patients will mild to severe symptoms are going to the hospital with difficulty breathing as the virus causes fluid in the lungs. Doctors say that patients claim they feel like they are drowning. This respiratory distress is requiring patients to need constant ventilators. 

Governor Andrew Cuomo has approved the use of “splitting” ventilators which adds a second set of tubes to a ventilator. This allows two patients to share a ventilator. This is a temporary solution but is better than the alternative of patients not receiving life-saving care. Governor Cuomo said that “It’s not ideal…but we believe it’s workable.”

It is estimated that New York area hospitals need around 30,000 ventilators as the apex of the virus is projected to hit in the next two weeks.