Gov. Andrew Cuomo said Tuesday that 10 states have been added to New York’s quarantine list, and 4 bars have been ordered closed, in an attempt to keep the coronavirus from spreading again in the state.
The ten states where travelers into New York are subject to a mandatory quarantine are Alaska, Delaware, Indiana, Maryland, Missouri, Montana, Virginia, North Dakota, Nebraska and Washington, bringing the total to 31 states. Florida, Texas and California are among states already on the list.
During a briefing with the media Tuesday, Cuomo said he’s looking at whether to add the U.S. territory of Puerto Rico to the quarantine regulations, as the virus spikes there. New York is home to the most Puerto Ricans in the United States outside of the island, and Cuomo has been very supportive of Puerto Rico, traveling there frequently after Hurricane Maria devastated the island. But Cuomo said it’s not about playing favorites.
"We look at the numbers we follow the science," Cuomo said. "There’s no like or dislike, or favorite state or unfavorite state. It’s just a function of math."
The state of Minnesota has been taken off the quarantine list as the number of infections continues to decline there.
Cuomo also announced that 4 bars on Long Island and in Queens have had their liquor licenses suspended for violating COVID-19 safety rules and allowing large groups to congregate. Cuomo continues to express worries that bars who are violating social distancing rules will lead to an uptick in the spread of the disease. He said the drinking establishments are taking advantage of a loophole in New York’s laws. The State Liquor Authority issues just one type of license to bars and restaurants. He said reopening rules allowed for outdoor dining, but not outdoor bar service.
"They were never supposed to institute outdoor drinking," Cuomo said. "They exploited the existing regulation."
For now, the governor has not followed through with a threat to rescind outdoor dining.
The announcements come on a day that deaths from coronavirus reached what the governor said is a "significant milestone," with just two New Yorkers dying from the disease on Monday.
"Obviously that’s two too many," said Cuomo who said in April there were 800 deaths on some days.
724 remain hospitalized with the virus, and the rate of transmission is at 1.2%.
