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Stay up to date with the latest news on the coronavirus and COVID-19, the disease caused by the coronavirus. We'll post regular updates from NPR and regional news from the WRVO newsroom. You can also find updates on our live blog.

Coronavirus in New York: Live Updates (Archive)

This is an archive of our live blog. Posts updates from March 13 - June 1 will be kept here. For the most current information, click here.

Archived updates

Monday, June 1

3:15 p.m. McMahon says there's been a potential exposure of COVID-19 at a Syracuse coffee shop. An employee at Recess Coffee, 110 Harvard Place in Syracuse has tested positive for COVID-19. Members of the public who visited the cafe on these days and times may have been exposed:

  • Tuesday, May 19: 10:00 am to 5:00 pm
  • Friday, May 22: 7:00 am to 2:00 pm
  • Saturday, May 23: 7:00 am to 2:30 pm
  • Monday, May 25: 9:00 am to 5:00 pm

Health officials say the employee was wearing a face mask while working. All Recess Coffee locations have a plexiglass barrier at the customer service area and continue to follow CDC guidelines for cleaning and physical distancing.

3:12 p.m. McMahon says there have been five more deaths in hospitals in Onondaga County since Friday, and the state reported three more deaths in nursing homes, bringing the total up to 139 deaths due to COVID-19. There are now 2,129 positive cases in the county, up 25 from the last day. 75 people are hospitalized, 14 are in critical condition. Of the 75 people in hospitals, 40 have either recovered or are healthy enough to go back to their nursing homes, but can't because they have not yet tested negative for COVID-19. McMahon says there are two locations in the county that these people can go to, but McMahon is just waiting for approval from the state health department. 

2:55 p.m. Onondaga County Executive Ryan McMahon will hold his briefing at 3 p.m. Watch below.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W8FILCRncIo

11:39 a.m. Cuomo says Western New York is expected to go into phase two of reopening tomorrow. The Capital region is expected to begin phase two on Wednesday. 

11:37 a.m. Gov. Cuomo says the number of hospitalizations, intubations and new hospitalizations continue to drop. The number of daily positive cases is at its lowest level since mid-March. 50,000 tests were done in the state in the last day, with less than 1,000 positive results. 54 people have died of COVID-19 in the last day. 

11:25 a.m. Gov. Andrew Cuomo's daily briefing is expected to begin at 11:30 a.m. Watch below. (Video player will appear once the briefing begins)

10:00 a.m. Good morning. Gov. Andrew Cuomo will give his daily briefing at 11:30 a.m. We'll have live video of the briefing when it begins. We'll also have live video of Onondaga County Executive Ryan McMahon's briefing at 3 p.m. 

Sunday, May 31

6:00 p.m. Gov. Cuomo says dentists can begin regular services again, with restrictions because of the pandemic. The full guidance on dental services is here.

11:55 a.m. Gov. Cuomo will give his daily briefing at noon in Albany. Watch below (video player will appear once the briefing begins). 

8:00 a.m. Good morning. Gov. Andrew Cuomo will give his daily briefing later today, though it may focus more on protests that have been going on over the last few days, following the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis. We'll have live video of Cuomo's briefing when it happens. 

Saturday, May 30

2:30 p.m. The biggest event of the year in the city of Oswego has been canceled this year. Oswego Mayor Billy Barlow said today this year's Harborfest is canceled due to COVID-19, along with the work being done to improve Wright's Landing marina. Barlow said the city's Independence Day parade is also canceled, but the city's Independence Day fireworks show will still take place. 

11:25 a.m. Gov. Cuomo will give his daily briefing at 11:30 a.m. Watch below (video player will appear once the briefing begins).

7:30 a.m. Good morning. Today is the first full day of phase two across five regions of upstate New York. Gov. Andrew Cuomo will hold a briefing later today. We'll have live video here once it begins. Onondaga County Executive Ryan McMahon will not be holding briefings this weekend. They will resume on Monday. 

Friday, May 29

3:32 p.m. McMahon says there has been another death in hospitals over the last day in Onondaga County, bringing the total up to 131 deaths due to COVID-19. There are now 2,024 positive cases in the county, up 32 from the last day. 77 people are hospitalized, 15 are in critical condition. Of the 77 people in hospitals, 59 have either recovered or are healthy enough to go back to their nursing homes, but can't because they have not yet tested negative for COVID-19. McMahon says he has spoken with the state health department and they will have a solution on where to place these individuals soon. 

3:00 p.m. Oneida County Executive Anthony Picente is holding his daily briefing. Watch below:

2:50 p.m. Onondaga County Executive Ryan McMahon's daily briefing has been delayed a bit. It's expected to start at 3:15. Watch below when it begins. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yP3wVtvYfl0

2:10 p.m. Gov. Cuomo was asked only one question about the frustration from local officials across the five regions over the delay in starting phase two. Click the play button below to hear his answer. 

1:05 p.m. Gov. Cuomo says the five regions that have been operating under phase one are now cleared to begin phase two. 

12:48 p.m. Gov. Andrew Cuomo will give his briefing at 1 p.m. As a result, Madison County's briefing will begin after the governor's, and Syracuse Mayor Ben Walsh's briefing, originally scheduled for 1 p.m. has been canceled. Watch Cuomo's briefing below. (Video player will appear once the briefing begins.)

10:41 a.m. According to updated guidance from New York state released this morning, shopping malls are to remain closed through phase two of reopening, with one exception. The guidance says "any stores located within shopping malls, which have their own external entrances open to the public, separate from the general mall entrance (e.g. strip malls), may open." The guidance also says zoos must remain closed. Onondaga County reopened Rosamond Gifford Zoo in Syracuse, with restrictions, last weekend.

10:00 a.m. Madison County's press conference, scheduled for 10 a.m. has been moved to 1 p.m. We'll have live video once it begins. 

7:00 a.m. The state has released guidance for phase two businesses for reopening. It was posted online after 11 p.m. last night. Read the guidance here.

6:45 a.m. Good morning. A lot of people who were expecting to go to work this morning are not, after the state delayed the start of phase two of reopening the state's economy. Local officials had been planning to begin phase two today, but the state said it wanted outside experts to review the data from phase one first. This left local officials outraged. Oneida County Executive Anthony Picente held a press conference last night and called the delay "outrageous." Scroll down to watch his comments. A lot of officials will have some things to say during their briefings today. Here's the schedule:

  • Madison County Board of Supervisors Chairman John Becker: 10 a.m.
  • Gov. Andrew Cuomo: briefings usually happen around 11:30 a.m.
  • Syracuse Mayor Ben Walsh: 1 p.m. 
  • Onondaga County Executive Ryan McMahon: 3 p.m.
  • Oneida County Executive Anthony Picente: 3 p.m.

We'll have live video of all of these briefings here on the live blog when they happen. 
Thursday, May 28

10:50 p.m. In a statement, Onondaga County Executive Ryan McMahon said "As we've discussed, Central New York has met all the metrics to enter into phase 2. We anticipate the state will release guidance imminently so our local businesses can affirm they met the necessary guidelines for reopening. Our small businesses can then begin their economic recovery for their employees and families. We look forward to hearing more from Governor Cuomo tomorrow at his daily briefing on phase 2 restart."

9:00 p.m. Oneida County Executive Anthony Picente held a press conference tonight criticizing Gov. Cuomo over his decision to not allow the region to start phase two of reopening tomorrow. He says the state gave no indication that the region would not be able to start phase two tomorrow until this evening. He says he is encouraging businesses that planned to open tomorrow to open. Watch his comments below. 

8:00 p.m. A reporter from the Albany Times-Union reports that according to a member of one of the regional control rooms, phase two will NOT begin tomorrow. 

7:45 p.m. Well, it's been a confusing afternoon. Local officials have been saying that businesses that are part of phase two of the state's reopening plan should be prepared to reopen tomorrow. But Gov. Cuomo said today that data from Phase One needs to be analyzed first before phase two can begin. No guidance for businesses has been released and there's a lot of frustration on the local level. The bottom line is that no one seems to know if phase two can begin tomorrow or not. But some officials are telling businesses to open anyway, regardless of the state's guidance. Members of the regional "control rooms" are meeting with state officials tonight, so we'll hopefully know more by morning. 

3:50 p.m. Gov. Cuomo, in an interview this afternoon on WAMC radio in Albany, indicated that phase two was NOT set to start tomorrow. "The reopening in the first phase ends tomorrow for five regions. When the reopening of phase one ends, we'll give the experts all the data, let them analyze it, and if they say we should move forward, we move forward," Cuomo said. Local officials on the regional control rooms have said their daily call with state officials, which usually happens in the afternoon, has been pushed to 7 p.m. this evening. 

3:20 p.m. McMahon says he hasn't been told by the state that the region cannot begin phase two of reopening. He says he's confident the guidance will come out soon, but he doesn't think the region won't be able to begin phase two starting tomorrow. He says he feels horrible for business owners who are waiting for guidance that hasn't come out yet. 

3:10 p.m. McMahon says there have been two more deaths in hospitals over the last day, and one in nursing homes in Onondaga County, as reported by the state. There are now a total of 130 deaths due to COVID-19 in the county. There are now 1,992 positive cases in the county, up 19 from the last day. 77 people are hospitalized, 14 are in critical condition. Of the 77 people in hospitals, 44 have either recovered or are healthy enough to go back to their nursing homes, but can't because they have not yet tested negative for COVID-19. McMahon said they are looking at two facilities to move nursing home patients to so they don't have to stay in the hospital. 

2:50 p.m. Onondaga County Executive Ryan McMahon will give his daily briefing at 3 p.m. Watch below:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DniH4qqTTfU

11:54 a.m. Gov. Cuomo says he will sign an executive order authorizing businesses to deny entry to those who do not wear masks or face-coverings. 

11:10 a.m. Gov. Cuomo will give his daily briefing at 11:30 a.m. Watch below (video player will appear once the briefing begins).

9:00 a.m. Another 192,193 people in New York filed for unemployment last week, according to the U.S. Department of Labor. That brings the total number of people unemployed in the state to about 2 million. The state labor department yesterday said the statewide unemployment rate in April shot up to 15%, up from just 3.6% in April of 2019. 

8:30 a.m. Good morning. All eyes are on whether New York will allow regions that started phase one of reopening on May 15 to begin phase two starting tomorrow. A lot of businesses are planning to begin reopening tomorrow, including barbershops, hair salons and retail businesses, but the state has not provided any guidance on phase two yet. Gov. Cuomo will give his daily briefing later today, and Onondaga County Executive Ryan McMahon will give his briefing at 3 p.m. We'll have live video of both when they happen. 

Wednesday, May 27

7:00 p.m. The state labor department released unemployment figures for April today. The state's unemployment rate in April was a staggering 15%, up from 3.6% in April of last year. Niagara County in Western New York had the highest unemployment rate in the state, at 21.9%. Around our region, the Syracuse area, which is comprised of Onondaga, Madison and Oswego counties, had a jobless rate of 16.3%. Oswego County has one of the highest unemployment rates in the state, at 17.1%. 

3:12 p.m. McMahon says there has been another death in a hospital, and two in nursing homes in Onondaga County over the last day. There are now a total of 126 deaths due to COVID-19 in the county. There are now 1,973 positive cases in the county, up 14 from the last day. 77 people are hospitalized, 14 are in critical condition. Of the 77 people in hospitals, 40 have either recovered or are healthy enough to go back to their nursing homes, but can't because they have not yet tested negative for COVID-19.

2:55 p.m. Onondaga County Executive Ryan McMahon will give his daily briefing at 3 p.m. Watch live: 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vMPTcxCo-r4

1:30 p.m. Cuomo says his meeting with President Trump focused on infrastructure projects. "It was a good discussion, he understood what we are talking about, understood what we need. And he's going to be thinking about it, he'll talk to his team and we'll talk again next week," Cuomo said.

12:30 p.m. Gov. Andrew Cuomo will give his daily briefing from Washington D.C. at 1 p.m. Watch live below (video player will appear once the briefing begins).

8:30 a.m. Good morning. Gov. Andrew Cuomo will meet with President Trump at the White House at 11 a.m., according to the official White House schedule. The meeting is not open to the press. Cuomo will likely hold a briefing after the meeting, sometime this afternoon. We'll have live video when it happens. We'll also have live video of Onondaga County Executive Ryan McMahon's briefing at 3 p.m. 

Tuesday, May 26

3:12 p.m. McMahon says there have been four more deaths in hospitals in Onondaga County over the last two days. McMahon says the state has also added five more nursing home deaths to the county's total, though McMahon isn't sure when they passed away. There are now a total of 123 deaths due to COVID-19 in the county. There are now 1,959 positive cases in the county, up 76 from the last two days (the county did not report numbers on Monday due to the holiday). 85 people are hospitalized, 16 are in critical condition. Of the 85 people in hospitals, 41 have either recovered or are healthy enough to go back to their nursing homes. State rules say they can't go back until they test negative for COVID-19.

2:55 p.m. Onondaga County Executive Ryan McMahon will give his daily briefing at 3 p.m. Watch live below:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3gTDhyHQBkQ

11:50 a.m. Cuomo says he will be in Washington D.C. tomorrow to meet with President Trump "about a number of things" but will push the president about helping to fund major infrastructure projects that Cuomo says will spur economic recovery. 

11:33 a.m. Gov. Cuomo says 73 New Yorkers have died in the last day from COVID-19. It's the lowest daily number of deaths since the pandemic began. "In this absurd, new reality, this is good news," Cuomo said.

11:25 a.m. Gov. Andrew Cuomo will give his daily briefing at 11:30 a.m. from the New York Stock Exchange. Watch below (video player will appear once the briefing begins).

9:00 a.m. Good morning. Gov. Andrew Cuomo will give his briefing later today, and Onondaga County Executive Ryan McMahon's daily briefing will be at 3 p.m. We'll have live video of both briefings here when they happen. 

Monday, May 25

2:20 p.m. Onondaga County Executive Ryan McMahon will not be holding a briefing today. We'll update the latest numbers from the county when we have them. 

11:42 a.m. Gov. Cuomo says local governments in the state will be required to provide death benefits to families of frontline workers who have died of COVID-19. 

11:30 a.m. Watch Gov. Andrew Cuomo's daily briefing below:

10:15 a.m. Good morning. Gov. Andrew Cuomo will give his daily briefing at 11:30 a.m. from the Intrepid Sea, Air and Space Museum in New York City. We'll have live video here once the briefing begins. 

Sunday, May 24

6:00 p.m. Onondaga County Executive Ryan McMahon did not hold a briefing today. In a statement, he said there are now 1,883 positive cases in the county, up 47 from yesterday. 79 people are hospitalized, 17 are in critical condition. There will be no briefing tomorrow as well. 

12:05 p.m. Gov. Cuomo says state campgrounds and RV parks will be open starting tomorrow. Cuomo says veterinarians will also be allowed to reopen statewide Tuesday. 

11:55 a.m. Gov. Andrew Cuomo's daily briefing will begin at noon. Watch below (Video player will appear once the briefing begins). 

Saturday, May 23

3:10 p.m. Onondaga County Executive Ryan McMahon says there have been three more deaths in hospitals in Onondaga County. McMahon says the state has also added three more nursing home deaths to the county's total, though McMahon isn't sure when they passed away. There are now a total of 115 deaths due to COVID-19 in the county. There are now 1,836 positive cases in the county, up 48 from yesterday. 79 people are hospitalized, 17 are in critical condition. Of the 79, 51 are waiting to be discharged. McMahon said he spoke with Gov. Cuomo today and the county may set up a nursing home specifically for COVID patients so they don't have to stay in the hospital. 

2:55 p.m. Onondaga County Executive Ryan McMahon will give his daily briefing at 3 p.m. Watch live: 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WnEU2nC082M

11:40 a.m. The number of deaths in the last day is down to 84. It's lowest daily number of deaths from COVID-19 since March. "it doesn't do any good for the families of the 84 people who lost their lives, but for me it's just a sign that we're making real progress and I feel good about that," Cuomo said.

11:38 a.m. Normally, Gov. Cuomo hold his briefings at the State Capitol, but he says his staff suggested he take the day off for Memorial Day weekend. "I said I would stay home, so I am home," he said. Today's briefing is taking place at the governor's executive mansion. 

11:25 a.m. Gov. Andrew Cuomo will give his daily briefing at 11:30 a.m. Watch below (video player will appear once the briefing begins).

Friday, May 22

3:12 p.m. Onondaga County Executive Ryan McMahon says there have been no deaths in Onondaga County in the last day. There have been a total of 109 deaths due to COVID-19 in the county. McMahon says there are now 1,788 positive cases in the county, up 36 from yesterday. 83 people are hospitalized, 19 in critical condition. 

2:55 p.m. Onondaga County Executive Ryan McMahon will give his daily briefing at 3 p.m. Watch live: 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BfPHb6PyByI

12:55 p.m. Syracuse Mayor Ben Walsh will give a briefing at 1 p.m. Watch live: 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ahzb6K2jo68

10:55 a.m. Gov. Cuomo will give his daily briefing at 11 a.m. Watch live below (video player will appear once the briefing begins). 

8:00 a.m. Good morning. State-run beaches will be open for Memorial Day weekend, and other beaches around the region will be open as well. Gov. Andrew Cuomo will hold his briefing later today, and we'll have live video here once it begins. We'll also bring you live video of Syracuse Mayor Ben Walsh's briefing at 1 p.m. and Onondaga County Executive Ryan McMahon's daily briefing at 3 p.m.

"The reopening in the first phase ends tomorrow for five regions. When the reopening of phase one ends, we'll give the experts all the data, let them analyze it, and if they say we should move forward, we move forward.""The reopening in the first phase ends tomorrow for five regions. When the reopening of phase one ends, we'll give the experts all the data, let them analyze it, and if they say we should move forward, we move forward."

Thursday, May 21

7:00 p.m. The state labor department released unemployment figures for the last month today, and the numbers are striking. April's unemployment rate skyrocketed to 14.5%, up from 4.1% in March. More than 1.8  million jobs were lost in the state in April. 

3:33 p.m. McMahon says of the 82 people hospitalized, 40 are people who reside in nursing homes that don't need to be hospitalized. "If these people lived at home, they would be home now," he said. He said the reason they are hospitalized is because state rules say they cannot go back to their nursing facility until they test negative for COVID-19.

3:12 p.m. Onondaga County Executive Ryan McMahon says there has been one death in Onondaga County, a male in his 70s that was hospitalized. There are now a total of 108 deaths due to COVID-19 in the county. McMahon says there are now 1,752 positive cases in the county, up 42 from yesterday. 82 people are hospitalized, 16 in critical condition. 

2:50 p.m. Onondaga County Executive Ryan McMahon will give his daily briefing at 3 p.m. Watch live: 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dJLX3u2xDd4

11:47 a.m. Cuomo says schools in the state will remain closed through the summer. Summer school will be held remotely, and meal programs will continue through the summer. Cuomo says a decision on opening schools in September will be made in July. 

11:45 a.m. Gov. Cuomo says there are now 157 reported cases of a COVID-related illness in children. The symptoms are similar to Kawasaki disease or toxic shock syndrome. 

11:20 a.m. Gov. Andrew Cuomo will give his daily briefing at 11:30 a.m. Watch live below (video player will appear once the briefing begins).

10:30 a.m. LeMoyne College says it is instituting cost saving measures during the summer due to the coronavirus. In a campus email, officials said the college is estimating a $12-24 million loss of revenue. As a result, some staff members will take unpaid furlough days, a hiring freeze will be put in place, and some members of the college administration will take pay cuts. Officials expect at this point to have students back in the fall, and expects to make decisions on the fall semester next month. 

6:00 a.m. Good morning. Gov. Andrew Cuomo will give his daily briefing later today. We'll have live video here once it begins. We'll also have live video of Onondaga County Executive Ryan McMahon's daily briefing at 3 p.m. Here are a few of today's top stories: 

  •  Gov. Cuomo announced yesterday that religious services can resume starting today, but only in groups of 10 or fewer. Many churches say that restrictions makes it unlikely they'll be able to do anything. Cuomo also gave the okay for services to be held in parking lots or at drive-ins. 
  • Hair stylists, barbers, and nail salon owners are gearing up to reopen. Gov. Cuomo says they'll be included in phase two of reopening, but things at the salon or barbershop will likely look much different than we're used to.  

Wednesday, May 20

4:45 p.m. Syracuse University has announced plans for the fall semester, bringing students back to class in August, and ending in-person instruction after Thanksgiving. In a letter to the campus community, university officials said The fall 2020 semester is expected to follow this schedule:

  • Monday, Aug. 24: Residential instruction will begin (students living in on-campus housing will receive notification of their move-in date).
  • Tuesday, Nov. 24: Residential instruction will conclude.
  • Wednesday, Nov. 25: The in-person instructional semester will conclude, and students depart for Thanksgiving break (students will not return to campus after Thanksgiving break).
  • Monday, Nov. 30-Wednesday, Dec. 9: Review sessions, reading days and final exams will be administered virtually.

Officials say the accelerated schedule may require more classes on Fridays, and some on weekends. Most in-person classes will also be offered in an online format simultaneously "to accommodate the individual health circumstances of our students and faculty." Officials expect to have another update on the academic calendar next week. 
3:30 p.m. McMahon goes over some new openings.

  • Oneida Shores beach will open on Saturday. After that it will be open Fri-Sun from 11 a.m. - 6 p.m. Only 150 people will be allowed at the beach, about a third of normal capacity, and the deep water section will remain closed.
  • The Rosamond Gifford Zoo will open Saturday at 10 a.m. Reservations will be required, either online or by phone. Only 500 tickets will be sold per day, guests must wear a mask and temperatures will be checked before entrance.
  • Onondaga County libraries will open Monday, May 26. People can order items online or by phone, pickups will be scheduled in 30 minute increments, and anything returned will go into a quarantine for seven days. 

3:10 p.m. Onondaga County Executive Ryan McMahon says there have been two deaths in Onondaga County. Both were women in their 70s and were hospitalized. There are now a total of 107 deaths due to COVID-19 in the county. McMahon says there are now 1,710 positive cases in the county, up 61 from yesterday. 78 people are hospitalized, 16 are in critical condition.

2:55 p.m. Onondaga County Executive Ryan McMahon will give his daily briefing at 3 p.m. Watch live: 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zxqMLbX_-Ps

12:43 p.m. Madison County is seeing another spike in positive cases of COVID-19. The number of cases jumped from 297 to 326 from 5 p.m. yesterday to 9 a.m. today. officials say most of those cases involve residents at The Grand Rehabilitation Center and Nursing Home in Chittenango, after a round of testing by the state health department. Nearly 200 workers at Green Empire Farms in Oneida tested positive for COVID-19 earlier this month. 

11:45 a.m. Gov. Cuomo says religious gatherings of no more than 10 people can resume in the state starting Thursday. All participants must wear masks and must follow strict social distancing. He also says drive-in or parking lot services will be allowed starting Thursday. 

11:30 a.m. Watch Gov. Cuomo daily briefing:

11:00 a.m. Gov. Cuomo's daily briefing will take place in Albany at 11:30 a.m. We'll have live video of his remarks here when it begins. But here's a little taste of what you can expect. 

10:34 a.m. There's been some confusion over whether fire departments are allowed to do drive-by birthday parades for people. Several departments have said they received word from the state that they can no longer do parades. 

But Cuomo advisor Rich Azzopardi says that's not the case and the parades can continue. 

8:15 a.m. Good morning. Gov. Andrew Cuomo will give his daily briefing later today, and Onondaga County Executive Ryan McMahon will have his daily briefing at 3 p.m. We'll have live video here once they begin. 

Tuesday, May 19

3:10 p.m. Onondaga County Executive Ryan McMahon says there have been two more nursing home deaths in Onondaga County but he says he doesn't have any more information. There are now a total of 105 deaths due to COVID-19 in the county. McMahon says there are now 1,649 positive cases in the county, up 35 from yesterday. 70 people are hospitalized, 19 are in critical condition.

2:55 p.m. Onondaga County Executive Ryan McMahon's daily briefing will begin at 3 p.m. Watch live: 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SYO5myAmqRA

12:15 p.m. Cuomo says 16 hospitals across the state, including St. Joseph's in Syracuse, will take part in a two week trial program to slowly increase visitations. Visits will be time-limited, and must wear PPE while visiting family members in hospitals. 

12:10 p.m. Gov. Cuomo says the Capital Region will be allowed to begin phase one of reopening tomorrow. He also says the state will allow Memorial Day ceremonies with 10 or fewer people. That decision will be left to local governments. He says vehicle parades to honor veterans will be allowed. 

11:50 a.m. Gov. Andrew Cuomo will give his daily briefing at noon. Watch live below (video player will appear once the briefing begins).

9:00 a.m. Good morning. Gov. Andrew Cuomo will give his daily briefing later today. We'll have live video here once it begins. We'll also have live video of Onondaga County Executive Ryan McMahon's daily briefing at 3 p.m. 

Monday. May 18

3:03 p.m. Onondaga County Executive Ryan McMahon says there has been another death from COVID-19 in the last day, bringing the total number of deaths in the county is up to 94. There are now 1,614 positive cases in the county, up 17 from yesterday. 67 people are hospitalized, 16 are in critical condition.

2:55 p.m. Onondaga County Executive Ryan McMahon is holding his daily briefing at 3 p.m. Watch live: 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k2Voba-IH7g

12:08 p.m. Ithaca College will delay it's fall semester until October, but still expects students to return to campus. College President Shirley Collado said the October start "gives our returning and new students the space they need to get ready for the upcoming year, to engage in a creative slate of undergraduate summer session classes and experiences and remain engaged with IC to make sure no one misses a beat in their learning." The college still plans to hold a full semester, despite the delayed start. 

11:45 a.m. Gov. Cuomo says Western New York has met all seven of the criteria to begin phase one of reopening. The region can now start reopening tomorrow. Gov. Cuomo also says judges and staff will return to work at courthouses across much of upstate tomorrow. 

11:25 a.m. Gov. Cuomo's daily briefing is expected to begin at 11:30. Watch below (video player will appear once the briefing has started).

9:00 a.m. Good morning. Gov. Andrew Cuomo will give his daily briefing from Buffalo at 11:30 a.m. The Western New York region has not yet been given the clearance to begin phase one of reopening, but the governor's visit indicates that the region may be okayed to begin reopening. We'll have live video here when the briefing begins. We'll also have live video of Onondaga County Executive Ryan McMahon's briefing at 3 p.m.

Sunday, May 17

7:00 p.m. Onondaga County reported one new death Sunday, bringing the total number 0f deaths in the county to 93. There are now a total of 1,597 cases of COVID-19 in the county. 66 people are hospitalized, 15 are in critical condition. 

3:30 p.m. Oneida County has had four new deaths in the last day, bringing it's total to 35. There are now 760 total cases of COVID-19 in the county. 24 people are currently hospitalized. 

12:20 p.m. Gov. Cuomo takes a COVID-19 test during his briefing. 

Credit governorandrewcuomo / Flickr
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Flickr

12:15 p.m. Gov. Cuomo says the state has more testing capacity than actual tests being conducted. The state's drive-thru and walk-in test sites can do 15,000 tests a day. Cuomo says the state is doing 5,000. He says any person who would return to work in phase 1 of reopening can get a test. The state is launching a website today where people can find a testing location if they would like to get a test. 

12:10 p.m. Gov. Cuomo says Western NY and the Capital region now meet six of the seven criteria  to begin phase one of reopening. Both regions need more contact tracers in place before they'll be cleared to begin reopening. 

11:55 a.m. Gov. Cuomo will give his daily briefing at noon. Watch live below (video player will appear once the briefing begins).

9:00 a.m. Good morning. Gov. Andrew Cuomo will give his daily briefing later today. We'll have live video here once it begins. A reminder that Onondaga County Executive Ryan McMahon will not be holding a briefing today. 

Saturday, May 16

5:00 p.m. There were two more deaths in Onondaga County in the last 24 hours, according to County Executive Ryan McMahon. That brings the total number of deaths from COVID-19 to 92. There are a total of 1,566 cases, up 23 from the day before. 64 people are hospitalized, 16 in critical condition. 

2:00 p.m. Onondaga County Executive Ryan McMahon will not be holding a briefing today or tomorrow. The briefings will resume Monday at 3 p.m.

1:30 p.m. Gov. Cuomo says horse racing tracks and Watkins Glen International will reopen for racing, without fans, starting June 1. Horse racing tracks allowed to reopen include Saratoga Raceway, Saratoga Race Course, Monticello Raceway, Tioga Downs, Vernon Downs, Batavia Downs, Belmont Park, Buffalo Raceway, Finger Lakes Racetrack, Aqueduct Racetrack, and Yonkers Raceway.

11:00 a.m. Gov. Andrew Cuomo will hold his daily briefing at 11:30. Watch live below (Video player will appear once the briefing has started).

Friday, May 15

3:05 p.m. Onondaga County Executive Ryan McMahon says there have been six more deaths from COVID-19 in the last day, all in nursing homes. "We want to take a moment to think about those we've lost," McMahon said.  This brings the total number of deaths in the county is up to 90. There are now 1,543 positive cases in the county, up 20 from yesterday. 61 people are hospitalized, 17 are in critical condition. 

2:55 p.m. Onondaga County Executive Ryan McMahon will give daily briefing at 3 p.m. Watch live: 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jw5n2EIkUJA

12:55 p.m. Syracuse Mayor Ben Walsh will give a briefing at 1 p.m. Watch live: 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LhaRjcugb9M

11:45 a.m. Cuomo says state-run beaches will open the Friday before Memorial Day, with several restrictions in place. Local beaches can choose to reopen as well if they follow the same guidelines. Social distancing will be strictly enforced at beaches, people will need to wear masks if they cannot social distance. 

11:35 a.m. Gov. Cuomo says as regions begin to reopen, retails can refuse service to anyone not wearing a mask. Customers cannot shop ina store, but can go into a store to pick up an item if curbside pickup is not available. 

11:25 a.m. Gov. Andrew Cuomo will give his daily briefing at 11:30 a.m. Watch live below. (Note: If you're having trouble with the sound on this feed, you can watch and listen here.)

9:30 a.m. Central New York, along with the North Country, Mohawk Valley, Southern Tier, and Finger Lakes regions,are starting the first phase of reopening today. Don't expect everything to be open at once Officials have said to expect things to happen slowly. If all goes well, phase two could begin in two weeks. 

8:30 a.m. Good morning. Gov. Cuomo will give his daily briefing later today. We'll have live video of that, as well as Onondaga County Executive Ryan McMahon's briefing at 3 p.m. 

Thursday, May 14

7:45 p.m. A doctor in St. Lawrence County has tested positive for COVID-19, and now he and 80-100 of his patients are in isolation. Dr. Greg Healey, who practices in Potsdam, tested positive last week, but had no symptoms. He had himself and his staff tested after another staff member tested positive. Even though there was limited risk of exposure, any patients that saw Healey have been asked to remain in isolation for 14 days.

3:07 p.m. Onondaga County Executive Ryan McMahon says there have been two more deaths from COVID-19 in the last day. This brings the total number of deaths in hospitals to 58, and in nursing homes to 26. The total number of deaths in the county is up to 84. There are now 1,523 positive cases in the county, up 35 from yesterday. 59 people are hospitalized, 16 are in critical condition. 

3:00 p.m. Oneida County Executive Anthony Picente is giving his daily briefing. Watch below. 

2:55 p.m. Onondaga County Executive Ryan McMahon will give his daily briefing at 3 p.m. Watch live:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZjFoLmWpbXQ

2:10 p.m. Gov. Cuomo says the central New York region has now met all seven metrics to begin reopening tomorrow. The one metric holding things up was testing. The state requires the CNY region to conduct a minimum of 775 tests per day on average. The region's average is up to over 1,000. 

1:50 p.m. Gov. Andrew Cuomo's daily briefing will take place from SUNY Upstate Medical University in Syracuse at 2 p.m. Watch live below (Video player will appear when the briefing begins).

11:50 a.m. Gov. Cuomo's briefing was originally expected to begin at 11:30, but it has been pushed back. We were told it may begin at 2 p.m., but we haven't seen the governor's official schedule yet. We'll post another update when we know for sure. 

10:10 a.m. Here's a major clue that Central New York will get the okay to begin reopening tomorrow: Gov. Cuomo will give his daily briefing today in Syracuse. We'll have live video here once it begins.  

9:55 a.m. Madison County officials will hold a news conference at 10 a.m. Watch live below. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rIUKdLKx-0w

8:50 a.m. New York state has released guidelines for businesses that are elgible to begin reopening tomorrow, including retail businesses. Business owners must read and electronically submit a document affirming they have read and will adhere to the guidelines. 

8:00 a.m. Good morning. Here are the briefings scheduled for today. We'll have live video of each of them right here once they begin, as officials continue to outline plans for phase one of reopening, which begins tomorrow. 

  • Madison County officials: 10 a.m.
  • Gov. Andrew Cuomo: 11:30 a.m.
  • Onondaga County Executive Ryan McMahon: 3 p.m.
  • Oneida County Executive Anthony Picente: 3 p.m.

Wednesday, May 13

4:15 p.m. Here's a look at the testing data McMahon showed at today's briefing. New York State says the region must perform an average of 775 tests a day. The region's current average is 845 and is expected to go up. 

Credit Onondaga County

3:15 p.m. McMahon says the CNY region conducted nearly 6,000 tests over the last 7 days, meaning the average number of tests per day is 845. The state has mandated the region conduct a minimum of 775 tests per day to be able to start the reopeing process on Friday. 

3:07 p.m. Onondaga County Executive Ryan McMahon says there have been three more deaths from COVID-19 in the last day. Two were hospitalized, one was in a nursing home. This brings the total number of deaths in hospitals to 57, and in nursing homes to 25. The total number of deaths in the county is up to 82. There are now 1,488 positive cases in the county, up 63 from yesterday. McMahon says the number of positive cases is up because more tests are being done. More than 1,000 test results came back in the last day.

2:55 p.m. Onondaga County Executive Ryan McMahon will give his daily briefing at 3 p.m. Watch live: 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BAMBsYDRQ4k

11:50 a.m. Cuomo says there are now 103 reported cases in the state of a COVID-related illness in children, with symptoms similar to Kawasaki disease or toxic shock syndrome. Three children have died from the illness. 60% of the children affected tested positive for COVID-19, 40% tested positive for the antibodies. Cuomo says other states are starting to report new cases as well. He says parents should be aware of possible symptoms of this illness. 

11:44 a.m. Gov. Cuomo says the North Country now meets all seven metrics to begin reopening on Friday. CNY still coming up short on testing capacity, according to the state. But Onondaga County Executive Ryan McMahon has said the CNY region has done more than enough testing. 

11:25 a.m. Gov. Cuomo will give his daily briefing at 11:30 a.m. Watch live below (video player will appear once the briefing begins).

9:30 a.m. Good morning. Gov. Cuomo will give his daily briefing from Watertown at 11:30 a.m. We'll have live video of that, as well as Onondaga County Executive Ryan McMahon's briefing at 3 p.m. 

Tuesday, May 12

3:42 p.m. McMahon says the county alone conducted 878 tests in the last day and the central New York region conducted 1,064 tests. The region must conduct a minimum of 775 tests to meet the metric to qualify for reopening on May 15. 

3:37 p.m. Onondaga County Executive Ryan McMahon says there have been four more deaths from COVID-19 in the last day. All four were hospitalized, a woman in her 70s, a woman in her 60s, a man in his 60s, and a man in his 80s This brings the total number of deaths in hospitals to 55, and in nursing homes to 24. The total number of deaths in the county is up to 79. There are now 1,425 positive cases in the county, up 31 from yesterday. 54 people are hospitalized, 14 are in critical condition.  

3:25 p.m. Onondaga County Executive Ryan McMahon will give his daily briefing at 3:30 p.m. Watch live below: 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fKlsOmOoEY4

1:40 p.m. Cuomo says the state health department is investigating approximately 100 cases of an "inflammatory disorder" in children affected by COVID-19. He said three children, ages 5, 7 and 18, have died so far. 

1:30 p.m. We are still waiting the start of Gov. Andrew Cuomo's briefing, which was supposed to begin around 1:00 p.m. We'll have live video below once the briefing begins.

11:25 a.m. A few updates on today's briefings: Gov. Cuomo's briefing has been pushed back to 1 p.m. He'll speak from Binghamton University today. Onondaga County Executive Ryan McMahon's briefing will take place at 3:30 p.m. today. 

8:45 a.m. St. Luke Health Services in Oswego, a large provider of senior care, says an employee at St. Luke has tested positive for COVID-19. The staff member is currently in isolation. In a statement, CEO Terrance Gorman said the employee had little contact with residents at St. Luke, but any resident who did come in contact has been moved to a precautionary quarantine. New York State mandated this week that nursing homes will be required to test all employees twice a week. 

8:30 a.m. Good morning. We'll have live video of Gov. Andrew Cuomo's daily briefing later today and Onondaga County Executive Ryan McMahon's briefing at 3 p.m. In the meantime, here are a few top stories. 

Monday, May 11

3:20 p.m. McMahon said the CNY region should meet all the criteria to reopen starting May 15. He said the state is looking at outdated data when it comes to the number of tests being done. "I'm gonna be passionate. There's a technicality glitch going on here. We're doing the testing. I know the numbers. There's got to be something missing here," he said.

3:02 p.m. Onondaga County Executive Ryan McMahon says there have been six more deaths from COVID-19 in the last day. Four of the people were hospitalized,  two died in a nursing home. This brings the total number of deaths in hospitals to 51, and in nursing homes to 24. The total number of deaths in the county is up to 75. There are now 1,394 positive cases in the county, up 29 from yesterday. 55 people are hospitalized, 13 are in critical condition.  

2:55 p.m. Onondaga County Executive Ryan McMahon will give his daily briefing at 3 p.m. Watch live: 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3H9J9nSTPKg

2:20 p.m. New York state has added a "regional dashboard" to it's website, so people can keep track of how regions are meeting the seven criteria needed to reopen. View the dashboard here.

11:55 a.m. Here are the members of the CNY region's "control room," who will watch how the region reacts as businesses reopen, and will be an "economic circuit breaker."

  • Matt Driscoll, NYS Thruway Authority, former mayor of Syracuse
  • Randy Wolken, MACNY executive director
  • Ann Marie Tallarico, President, CNY Labor Federation
  • Ryan McMahon, Onondaga County Executive
  • Paul Helder, Cortland County Chair
  • Jim Weatherup, Oswego County Chair
  • Aileen McNabb, Cayuga County Chair
  • John Becker, Madison County Chair
  • Ben Walsh, mayor of Syracuse

11:51 a.m. Cuomo says other "low risk" businesses will be allowed to reopen starting May 15, including landscape/garden businesses, and drive-in movie theaters. 

11:45 a.m. Cuomo says regions need to meet seven metrics to qualify to reopen. Hospitalizations and deaths must decline for 14 days, new hospitalizations must also decline, hospitals must have at least 30% capacity, and a testing and tracing program. Under those metrics, Cuomo says the Finger Lakes, Southern Tier, and Mohawk Valley meet the criteria today to reopen. Cuomo says Central New York meets 6 of the 7 criteria, but has until the end of the week to meet the criteria to reopen starting May 15. 

11:40 a.m. Gov. Cuomo says a "new chapter" starts today as the state works with local governments as they start to reopen. 

11:20 a.m. Gov. Cuomo will give his daily briefing from Rochester at 11:30 a.m. He's expected to announce more details on the state's regional reopening plans. Watch live below. (Video player will appear once the briefing begins.).

8:30 a.m. Good morning. Gov. Andrew Cuomo will give his briefing later today, and he's expected to talk more about regions that could start to reopen at the end of this week. Onondaga County Executive Ryan McMahon said Saturday that CNY is ready to reopen. His daily briefing is at 3 p.m. We'll have live video of both briefings here. Here are a few other top stories. 

  • Nursing homes in the state must start testing all employees for COVID-19 twice a week and hospitals will no longer be able to send COVID-positive patients back to nursing homes. The governor made the announcement yesterday after facing criticism over the state's handling of the disease in nursing facilities. 
  • Many central New York manufacturers have remained open during the shutdown, but more are expected to ramp up operations when the NY Pause order expires on May 15.Most are expected to slowly bring back employees and institute strict social distancing and sanitization protocols. 

Sunday, May 10

2:30 p.m. Onondaga County Executive Ryan McMahon will not be holding a briefing today. They will resume tomorrow at 3 p.m.

11:30 a.m. Gov. Andrew Cuomo will give his daily briefing from Albany at noon. Watch live below (Video player will appear once the briefing starts). 

Saturday, May 9

3:02 p.m. Onondaga County Executive Ryan McMahon says there have been four more deaths from COVID-19 in the last day. Three of the people were hospitalized, one died in a nursing home. Of the people hospitalized, two were females in their 70s, one a woman in her 50s. All three had underlying medical conditions. This brings the total number of deaths in hospitals to 47, and in nursing homes to 22. The total number of deaths in the county is up to 69. There are now 1,329 positive cases in the county up 43 from yesterday. 52 people are hospitalized, 12 fewer than yesterday. McMahon said the drop is a result of nursing home residents who were taken to a hospital with COVID-19, when they didn't need to be hospitalized. 11 people are in critical condition.

2:50 p.m. Onondaga County Executive Ryan McMahon will give his daily briefing at 3 p.m. Watch live below. 

https://youtu.be/1pU1dJ_k3Ro","_id":"0000017a-3c68-d913-abfe-bd6c273a0000","_type":"035d81d3-5be2-3ed2-bc8a-6da208e0d9e2"}">https://youtu.be/1pU1dJ_k3Ro">https://youtu.be/1pU1dJ_k3Ro","_id":"0000017a-3c68-d913-abfe-bd6c273a0000","_type":"035d81d3-5be2-3ed2-bc8a-6da208e0d9e2"}">https://youtu.be/1pU1dJ_k3Ro

11:38 a.m. Cuomo says three children in the state have now died as a result of a syndrome related to COVID-19. The state health department is investigating 73 cases of this syndrome, that has similar symptoms to Kawasaki disease or toxic shock syndrome. Cuomo says the state will work with the CDC to develop criteria for diagnosing this syndrome nationwide. 

11:25 a.m. Gov. Andrew Cuomo will give his daily briefing at 11:30 a.m. Watch live below.

7:30 a.m. Good morning. We'll have live video of Gov. Andrew Cuomo's daily briefing later today and Onondaga County Executive Ryan McMahon's briefing at 3 p.m. In the meantime, here are a few top stories. 

  • Five more Onondaga County residents have died from COVID-19in the last day, County Executive Ryan McMahon announced Friday, bringing the total number of deaths in the county to 65. Three of the people who died were hospitalized, two were in nursing homes. That brings the total number of nursing home deaths from COVID-19 to 21. The total number of cases in the county is up to 1,284. 64 people were hospitalized, 13 are in critical condition.

  • Gov. Cuomo said yesterday health department officials are investigating a potential serious side effect of COVID-19 that has sickened 73 children. It inflames the blood vessels and major organs and is similar to Kawasaki disease or toxic shock syndrome. It has sent dozens of children to the hospital, and resulted in at least one death, a 5-year-old boy who passed away on Thursday.

Friday, May 8

3:02 p.m. Onondaga County Executive Ryan McMahon says there have been five more deaths from COVID-19 in the last day. Three of the people were hospitalized, two died in nursing homes. One was female in her 50s, one a woman in her 60s with underlying medical conditions, and a man in his 60s with underlying medical conditions. This brings the total number of deaths in the county to 65. There are now 1,284 positive cases in the county up 52 from yesterday. 64 people are hospitalized, 13 in critical condition.

2:55 p.m. Onondaga County Executive Ryan McMahon will give his daily briefing at 3 p.m. Watch live: 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NwhBnSTUxKk

12:57 p.m. Syracuse Mayor Ben Walsh will hold a briefing at 1 p.m. Watch live below (video player will appear once the briefing starts).

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mVvoBpXoes8

12:10 p.m. Cuomo says previous guidance on the coronavirus said the virus may not affect children as much as adults. Cuomo says it "may be time to rethink that." He says the state health department is investigating at least 73 cases where children with COVID-19 also show symptoms similar to Kawasaki disease. A 5-year-old boy died yesterday from "COVID-related complications." "This is every parent's nightmare," Cuomo said.

11:55 a.m. Gov. Andrew Cuomo will give his daily briefing at noon from Marist College in Poughkeepsie. Watch live below (video player will appear once the briefing begins).

10:00 a.m. Madison County officials are holding a press conference to provide more information on the number of cases of the coronavirus discovered at Green Empire Farms in Oneida. As of yesterday more than 180 workers at the farm have tested positive. Watch live: 

7:10 a.m. Good morning. We'll have live coverage of Gov. Andrew Cuomo's briefing later today, and Onondaga County Executive Ryan McMahon's briefing at 3 p.m. Here are a few of today's top stories.

  • There weren't any new deaths to report yesterday in Onondaga County, but the county's death toll went up by 1/3 after New York State added 19 nursing homes deaths that weren't originally counted. County Executive Ryan McMahon said he was frustrated by the lack of communication with state officials. "19 people I had no idea we lost," he said. 
  • Sen. Charles Schumer (D-NY) is pressing the Department of Veterans Affairs to send more personal protective equipment to VA facilities, especially in New York, to fight against COVID-19. This follows an Inspector General report in March that said 33 out of 54 facilities that were studied across the country, had inadequate supplies and equipment. 

Thursday, May 7

3:05 p.m. Onondaga County Executive Ryan McMahon says there are no new deaths to report in the county, but there has been some clarification on some numbers from New York state. McMahon says the 19 deaths confirmed by the state in nursing homes in the county have not been included in the county's total of deaths, which was 41 as of yesterday. McMahon says in their belief, the county has 60 total deaths, which will be confirmed tomorrow. There are now 1,234 positive cases in the county up 56 from yesterday. 60 people are hospitalized up 9 from yesterday, 14 in critical condition. McMahon says many of the new hospitalizations are people who have been dropped off at hospitals from nursing homes. McMahon says many of these people are asymptomatic or have mild systems and don't need to be in the hospital. 

2:55 p.m. Onondaga County Executive Ryan McMahon will give his daily briefing at 3 p.m. Watch live below: 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=41gxdMu1kD0

11:25 a.m. Gov. Andrew Cuomo will give his daily briefing at 11:30 a.m. Watch live below (Video player will appear once the briefing begins).

8:45 a.m. The U.S. Department of Labor says another 3.2 million people filed for unemploymentlast week, bringing the total number of jobs lost during the pandemic to 33.5 million.In New York, there were 195,242 new claims for unemployment in the last week. Nearly 1.8 million residents have lost their jobs over the last seven weeks. 

7:20 a.m. Good morning. We'll have live coverage of Gov. Andrew Cuomo's briefing later today, and Onondaga County Executive Ryan McMahon's briefing at 3 p.m. Here are a few of today's top stories.

  • Onondaga County is reporting more positive cases of the coronavirus now that more testing is being done. 63 positive cases were announced yesterday, the highest daily total since the pandemic began. Another death was also reported yesterday, bringing the total to 41.
  • The city of Syracuse (remotely) passed the 2020-21 city budget unanimously yesterday, using $5 million less of its reserve fund balance than what Mayor Ben Walsh originally called for. The city will use about $9 million of it's reserves, leaving about $27 million. The new budget cuts about $1.5 million in police overtime. The city was facing a multi-million dollar budget gap, mainly due to lost sales tax revenue from the coronavirus pandemic.  

Wednesday, May 6

3:02 p.m. Onondaga County Executive Ryan McMahon says there has been another death from COVID-19, a woman in her 60s with significant underlying health conditions, bringing the total number of deaths to 41. There are now 1,178 positive cases in the county up 63 from yesterday. McMahon said more testing is being done. 790 tests were returned yesterday. "As long as we're doing this robust testing, we're going to see higher numbers," McMahon said. 51 people are hospitalized, 12 in critical condition.

3:01 p.m. Oneida County Executive Anthony Picente is giving his daily briefing. Watch live below: 

2:55 p.m. Onondaga County Executive Ryan McMahon will give his daily briefing at 3 p.m. Watch live below:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vmqdKPI3U1c

11:15 a.m. Gov. Andrew Cuomo will give his daily briefing at 11:30. Watch live below (video player will appear once the briefing begins).

11:00 a.m. Madison County officials have announced several possible exposures to COVID-19 over the last several days. There's been a big spike in cases there and in Oneida County after more than 100 employees at Green Empire Farms in Wampsville have tested positive so far. Officials haven't said if the possible exposures are related to those cases.

Members of the public who visited the following locations during certain times and dates should self-monitor for symptoms.

Walmart at 2024 Genesee St. Oneida, NY 13421

  • April 25, 2020 from 6:00 PM - 8:30 PM
  • April 28, 2020 from 10 AM - 11 AM; and 6:00 PM - 8:30 PM
  • April 29, 2020 from 3:00 PM - 4:00 PM
  • April 30, 2020 from 6:00 PM - 8:30 PM
  • May 1, 2020 from 5:00 PM - 8:00 PM
  • May 2, 2020 from 12:00 PM – 1:00 PM; and 6:00 PM - 8:00 PM
  • May 3, 2020 from 1:00 PM – 2:00 PM

Walgreens at 104 Genesee St, Oneida, NY 13421

  • April 27, 2020 from 6:00 PM – 8:00 PM
  • April 28, 2020 from 6:00 PM – 8:00 PM
  • May 3, 2020 from 4:00 PM – 6:00 PM

Save A Lot at 2080 Glenwood Shopping Plaza, Oneida, NY 13421

  • May 2, 2020
  • May 3, 2020

Dollar Tree at 2104 Glenwood Shopping Plaza, Oneida, NY 13421

  • May 2, 2020 from 2:00 PM – 3:00 PM

Dollar General at 423 S Peterboro St, Canastota, NY 13032

  • May 3, 2020 from 1:00 PM – 6:00 PM

Colonial Laundromat at 502 Lenox Ave, Oneida, NY 13421

  • April 28, 2020 from 6:00 PM – 8:00 PM

Domino’s Pizza at 1 Glenwood Ave, Oneida, NY 13421

  • April 29, 2020

Price Chopper at 142 Genesee St, Oneida, NY 13421

  • May 1, 2020 from 5:00 PM – 7:00 PM
  • May 2, 2020 from 5:00 PM – 7:00 PM

Tops Friendly Market at Rt. 5 & Oxbow Road, Canastota, NY 13032

  • April 30, 2020 from 4:00 PM – 5:00 PM

7:10 a.m. Good morning. We'll have live video of Gov. Andrew Cuomo's briefing later today, and Onondaga County Executive Ryan McMahon's briefing at 3 p.m. In the meantime, here are a few of yesterday's top stories. 

Tuesday, May 5

7:00 p.m. There will be a milk giveaway in Oswego County this Thursday. About 800 gallons will be given away, two gallons for each vehicle. The giveaway will be held at the Walgreens Pharmacy, 3035 East Ave. (State Route 49) in Central Square starting at 12:30 p.m.

3:05 p.m. Onondaga County Executive Ryan McMahon says there have been three more deaths from COVID-19, bringing the total number of deaths to 40. There are now 1,115 positive cases in the county up 27 from yesterday. 47 people are hospitalized, 13 in critical condition.

2:55 p.m. Oneida County Executive Anthony Picente will give his daily briefing at 3 p.m. The county has seen a spike in positive cases of the coronavirus after dozens of workers at a farm in nearby Madison County tested positive. Watch Picente's briefing live: 

2:50 p.m. Onondaga County Executive Ryan Mcmahon will give his daily briefing at 3 p.m. Watch live below: 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ClVHVtL9qqc

1:37 p.m. Onondaga County is allowing auto dealerships to reopen, with some restrictions. Auto dealers have been selling vehicles online and over the phone, but sales have dropped because dealerships have been closed. County Executive Ryan McMahon said after several conversations with Gov. Cuomo's office, he got approval for dealerships reopen, under certain conditions. Employees and customers must wear masks and viewing a car can only be done by appointment. Car sales are one of the biggest sources of sales tax revenue for local governments. 

11:30 a.m. Gov. Andrew Cuomo will hold his daily briefing at 11:30 a.m. Watch live below. (video player will appear once the briefing begins)

10:02 a.m. Madison County Board of Supervisors Chairman John Becker says there will likely be another big spike in cases due to the fact that officials are now proactively testing residents. Officials say the state health department is conducting more testing at Green Empire Farms today. 

10:00 a.m. Madison County officials are holding a press conference to discuss a large increase in COVID-19 cases. Watch live below: 

6:00 a.m. Good morning. We'll have live video of Gov. Andrew Cuomo's briefing later today and of Onondaga County Executive Ryan McMahon's press conference at 3 p.m. Here are a few of yesterday's top stories. 

Monday, May 4

3:30 p.m. A greenhouse complex in Madison County is the source of more than 100 new cases of COVID-19. Oneida County Executive Anthony Picente today reported 67 new cases in the county, bringing its total to 530. Picente said 52 of those cases are seasonal workers who live in Oneida County but work at Green Empire Farms in Wampsville. Picente said 70 more cases are Madison County residents, meaning 122 cases have come from that one location so far. Officials said they noticed some positive cases coming from the farm and worked with the state health department to test all of the employees. Madison County now has 246 cases as of this afternoon. Officials there also announced the county's 6th death, a nursing home resident with underlying health conditions. 

3:03 p.m. McMahon says another person has died of COVID-19, a man in his 80s with underlying health conditions, bringing the total number of deaths to 37. There are now a total of 1,088 cases, up 41 from yesterday. 51 people are hospitalized, up 10 from yesterday. 11 are in critical condition. McMahon said part of the increase in hospitalizations is because many of these people are from senior facilities, and staff at these centers are taking any resident to the hospital, whether they are symptomatic or not. "That number is a moment in time, that is not a trend," McMahon said.

2:50 p.m. Onondaga County Executive Ryan McMahon will give his daily briefing at 3 p.m. Watch live below:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=STpkE48sy2A

12:05 p.m. According to Gov. Cuomo, Central NY, the North Country, Mohawk Valley, Finger Lakes and Southern Tier regions have each met 5 of the 7 criteria to start reopening. 

11:40 a.m. Cuomo says the number of hospitalizations continues to slowly decline. "Unfortunately, we were hoping for a quick up, a plateau and a quick decline," Cuomo says. The decline is not as fast as the incline." He says the number of new cases coming into hospitals is also slowly declining. 226 people have died in the last day. "This number is not declining nearly as fast as we hoped it would decline," Cuomo said.

11:15 a.m. Gov. Cuomo will give his daily briefing at 11:30 a.m. in Rochester. Watch live below (video player will appear once the briefing begins).

9:00 a.m. Because of the pandemic, most of daily life has changed, and that includes the U.S. Supreme Court. Justices will hear oral arguments remotely today, and for the first time, audio of the arguments will be available to the public live. Arguments are scheduled today through Wednesday this week and next week starting at 10 a.m. You can listen to the live stream of the arguments here.

7:50 a.m. Good morning. As usual, we'll have live video of Gov. Andrew Cuomo's briefing later today and of Onondaga County Executive Ryan McMahon's briefing at 3 p.m. In the meantime, here are a few of today's top stories.   

  • New York is teaming up with six other states in the northeast to pool their purchasing power for medical supplies and equipment, with a goal of boosting their likelihood of buying those products on the open market and strengthening their collective bidding capacity. Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced the new partnership Sunday, saying the new strategy will likely save taxpayers money by removing the need for states to bid against each other.

  • As New York state's coronavirus numbers improve, officials are looking toward the restart and recovery of the economy, which has been decimated by the shutdown of most businesses in the state. Local businesses are coming up with plans for restarting, but how and when they go into effect are still an unknown.

  • Syracuse City School District Superintendent Jaime Alicea said he agrees with Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s decision to keep schools closed for the remainder of the academic year. More than 70% of students are working online, which will continue, as will delivering paper work packets to students. "We would love to have our students back, but we understand that we need to keep our community safe," Alicea said. "We agree that at this time, that’s one of the best decisions the governor made, to keep the schools closed for the remainder of the year.”

Sunday, May 3

3:03 p.m. McMahon says two more people have died of COVID-19 in the last day. A woman in her 60s and a man in his 90s have died, bringing the total number of deaths in the county to 36. There are now a total of 1,047 positive cases in the county, up 53 from yesterday. 41 people are hospitalized, 9 are in critical condition. 

2:55 p.m. Onondaga County Executive Ryan McMahon's briefing will begin at 3 p.m. Watch live below: 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v_MHiw7vH4c

12:23 p.m. Gov. Cuomo says the state Department of Health will be required to have on hand a 90-supply of PPE to prepare for another wave of COVID-19 cases in the fall. He is also announcing a regional buying consortium with seven states to procure PPE, tests, ventilators and other medical equipment. 

11:45 a.m. Gov. Cuomo will give his daily briefing at noon. Watch live below (video player will appear once the briefing begins).

8:30 a.m. Good morning, and happy Sunday. We'll have live video here of Gov. Andrew Cuomo's daily briefing later today, and Onondaga County Executive Ryan McMahon's briefing at 3 p.m. 

Saturday, May 2

6:00 p.m. Onondaga County Executive Ryan McMahon did not hold a briefing today, but his office did release daily numbers. There are now 994 cases of COVID-19 in the county, up 47 from yesterday. It's the biggest single-day jump in cases in almost a month. McMahon has said the increase in numbers is a result of the proactive testing the county has been doing. 36 people are hospitalized, 10 in critical condition. Check the map above for the most recent positive case numbers from area counties. 

10:25 a.m. Update: Gov. Andrew Cuomo will now give his daily briefing at 11:00 a.m. Watch live below (video player will appear once the briefing begins).

8:00 a.m. Good morning, Gov. Andrew Cuomo will give his daily briefing later today. We'll have live video here when it begins. Onondaga County Executive Ryan McMahon will not be holding a briefing today, but will hold one Sunday at 3 p.m. Here are a few of yesterday's top stories. 

Friday, May 1

7:03 p.m. Gov. Andrew Cuomo signed an executive order today related to elections. First, the order will allow the state Board of Elections to send every registered voter in the state an application for an absentee ballot for the state's June 23 primary elections. The application will include a postage-paid return envelope. The governor also says school board and budget votes will now be held June 9, and will be mail-in. Finally, village and town elections will be held September 15.

State Assembly Minority Leader Will Barclay (R-Pulaski) said this will lead to trouble down the road. "The reality is that municipalities and local Boards of Elections do not have the funding, manpower or infrastructure to carry out these new directives," Barclay said in a statement. "This executive order has set the stage for dysfunction and failure in June, and is likely a precursor to even more chaos in November. This appears to be the first step to facilitate mail-in voting, which in addition to constitutional concerns, is a recipe for electoral disaster."

3:30 p.m. McMahon said there's been another potential exposure of COVID-19 in the community. The Onondaga County Health Department has confirmed that an employee at Walmart in East Syracuse has tested positive for COVID-19. This individual used Centro bus lines for transportation to and from work on certain days, outlined below.

Members of the public who visited the Walmart store at 6438 Basile Rowe in East Syracuse on these days and times may have been exposed:

  • Mon 4-20: 8:30 am to 5:30 pm
  • Tues 4-21: 9:00 am to 5:30 pm
  • Wed 4-22: 8:45 am to 5:30 pm
  • Fri 4-24: 8:45 am to 5:30 pm
  • Sat 4-25: 6:45 am to 4:00 pm
  • Mon 4-27: 8:45 am to 5:30 pm
  • Tues 4-28: 9:15 am to 5:30 pm
  • Wed 4-29: 8:30 am to 5:30 pm

Members of the public who used the following Centro bus lines may have been exposed:
Mon 4-20, Tues 4-21, Wed 4-22, Fri 4-24, Mon 4-27, and Wed 4-29:

  • Route 216 departing Electronics Parkway at 6:55 am
  • Route 120 departing Transit Hub at 7:40 am
  • Route 123 departing Walmart at 5:38 pm
  • Route 116 departing Transit Hub at 6:20 pm

Tues 4-28:

  • Route 123 departing Walmart at 5:38 pm
  • Route 116 departing Transit Hub at 6:20 pm

Sat 4-25:

  • Route 123 departing Walmart at 4:18 pm
  • Route 116 departing Transit Hub at 5:00 pm

3:05 p.m. McMahon says a man in his 50s with underlying health conditions has died from COVID-19. He is the 34th death in the county. There are now a total of 947 cases in the county, up 27 from yesterday. 39 people are hospitalized, 9 are in critical condition. 574 people have recovered from COVID-19, leaving an active caseload of 339. 

2:55 p.m. Onondaga County Executive Ryan McMahon will give his daily briefing at 3 p.m. Watch live: 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l2MY_7QKyDw

1:49 p.m. Syracuse Mayor Ben Walsh says 104 city employees have been placed on temporary, unpaid leave starting today. "Very difficult decision," said Walsh. "But it's an acknowledgement of the extremely difficult financial challenges we are faced with."

12:45 p.m. Around 100 peole gathered in downtown Syracuse this afternoon calling on Gov. Cuomo to reopen New York. Cars circled the block honking their horns. 

12:15 p.m. Cuomo says while different regions may be able to reopen sooner than others, schools will be closed on a statewide basis. And reopening will be made on a statewide basis as well. He says even in areas where there are few cases, you still have to practice social distancing. "If you have 30 kids in a classroom, you'll now have 10 kids in a classroom," he said. "It's too hard to figure out by June. We're almost at the end of the school year anyway. The question is, will you be ready to reopen by September?"

12:00 p.m. Cuomo says it will be difficult to reopen schools and be able to practice social distancing. "How do you tell a 10-year-old to social distance? Kids will be kids," Cuomo said.

11:55 a.m. Cuomo says domestic violence reports were up 15% in March and 30% in April. He's also ordering state insurance companies to waive any copays or deductibles for mental health services for essential workers. 

11:45 a.m. Cuomo says all schools and colleges in the state will remain closed, and distance learning will continue distance learning for the rest of the academic year. He says a decision on summer school programming will be made at the end of May. The state will have to approve plans by districts before they reopen. 

11:40 a.m. Gov. Cuomo says the hospitalization rate continues to fall, are the state is still seeing about 1,000 new hospitalizations each day. 289 people in the state have died in the last day from COVID-19.

11:15 a.m. Gov. Cuomo will give his daily briefing at 11:30 a.m. Watch live below (video player will appear a few minutes before the briefing begins).

10:45 a.m. A number of protests are planned around the state today, calling on Gov. Andrew Cuomo to reopen New York. One of the protests will start at noon on East Washington St. in Syracuse. Organizers say they plan to cause gridlock on city streets by driving in circles honking their horns. "Cuomo wants us New Yorkers to live a life of GRIDLOCK, so we'll give peaceful gridlock back to Cuomo," said a post on Facebook promoting the protest.

7:15 a.m. Good morning. We'll have live video of Gov. Andrew Cuomo's briefing later today and of Onondaga County Executive Ryan McMahon's briefing at 3 p.m. In the meantime, here are some of yesterday's top stories. 

  • There have been three more deaths in Onondaga Countyin the last day, bringing the total number of deatsh to 33. There are a total of 920 cases in the county, an increase of 44 from the day before. Officials say more cases are being found because more proactive testing is being done. 
  • New York City subways will shut down from 1-5 a.m. for cleaning starting May 6. For essential workers who rely on public transportation, Gov. Cuomo said arrangements will be made for them, if they need transportation. 
  • Rep. John Katko (R-Camillus) said yesterday that county governments should get federal aidin the next congressional relief bill. "We’re not here to plug preexisting state budget gaps or preexisting local budget gaps," Katko said. "But we are here to try and help them, based on direct COVID-related impacts that they’ve had.”

Thursday, April 30

3:08 p.m. McMahon says three more people have died as a result of COVID-19, bringing the total number of deaths to 33. Total cases in the county are up to 920, up 44 from yesterday. 38 people are hospitalized, 8 in critical condition. 561 people have recovered from COVID-19. 

2:55 p.m. Onondaga County Executive Ryan McMahon will give his daily briefing at 3 p.m. Watch live below:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XZJuwSNFxcY

11:36 a.m. Cuomo says daily hospitalizations and ICU admissions continues to drop, as does the daily number of deaths. 306 people died in the state yesterday. "An optimist would say the numbers are on the decline. A realist would say that's a tremendous amount of grief," Cuomo says.

11:25 a.m. Gov. Andrew Cuomo's daily briefing will begin around 11:30 a.m. Watch live below (video player will appear a few minutes before the briefing begins)

8:55 a.m. Another staggering number was just released from the U.S. Department of Labor. 3.8 million people in the country filed for unemployment in the last week. In the last six weeks, more than 30 million people have lost their jobs. In New York, nearly 219,000 people filed for unemployment for the first time last week. 1.6 million New Yorkers have lost their jobs since the pandemic started. 

7:15 a.m. Good morning. We'll have live coverage of Gov. Cuomo's daily briefing later today and of Onondaga County Executive Ryan McMahon's daily briefing at 3 p.m. In the meantime, here are a few top stories. 

  • Gov. Cuomo listed out the counties that can resume elective surgeries yesterday. Most counties in central New York can resume surgeries. But hospitals in Cortland and Cayuga counties can't. In Auburn, state officials told The Auburn Citizen it's because Auburn Memorial Hospital doesn't have enough bed capacity to treat a potential surge in COVID-19 cases. The state says hospitals must have at least 30% available bed capacity. Auburn currently has about 14% capacity. 
  • In Onondaga County, another death was reported yesterday due to COVID-19, bringing the total there to 30. Oneida County had another death yesterday as well, bringing its total to 17. 
  • Dairy farms have been dumping milk because they can't sell due to a drop in demand because of the pandemic. But the state said it will work to buy unsold milk, use it to make cheese and yogurt, and give it to food banks downstate. One Finger Lakes dairy is already doing that.

Wednesday, April 29

6:00 p.m. The Baseball Hall of Fame's induction ceremony set for July in Cooperstown has been canceled.Tens of thousands of people attend the annual event, but this year was going to be even bigger, with the induction for former New York Yankee Derek Jeter. Jeter and the rest of this year's inductees will be honored at next year's ceremonies. 

3:05 p.m. Oneida County has had another death from COVID-19, bringing the total there to 17. County Executive Anthony Picente says there are now 400 total cases in the county. 

3:02 p.m. There has been another death in Onondaga County in the last day bringing the total number of deaths in the county to 30. There are now a total of 876 cases in the county, up 35 from yesterday. 39 people are hospitalized, 8 in critical condition.  

2:55 p.m. Onondaga County Executive Ryan McMahon will give his daily briefing at 3 p.m. Watch live below.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VRP_bcNIQgM

11:41 a.m. Cuomo says the state has a 12-step plan for reopening the state, with a numerical "circuit breaker" to prevent decisions being made on anything but facts. He looks at the example of Germany, whoch has loosened restrictions and in 10 days, went from a transmission rate of .7 to 1.0. 

11:40 a.m. Gov. Cuomo says rate hospitalization rate and ICU admissions continue to tick down, but new hospitalizations have gone up slightly. "We're looking at how fast it declines and how low does it go." 330 New Yorkers have died in the last day. "Even though the number of deaths is dropping, the number is still disgustingly high," Cuomo said.

11:25 a.m. Gov. Cuomo will gve his daily briefing at 11:30 a.m. Watch live below. (Video player will appear a few minutes before the briefing begins)

7:00 a.m. Good morning. We'll bring you live video of Gov. Andrew Cuomo's daily briefing later today, and of Onondaga County Executive Ryan McMahon's briefing at 3 p.m. In the meantime, here are some top stories. 

  • Three more people in Onondaga County have died as a result of COVID-19, bringing the total number of deaths to 29. 841 positive cases have now been reported in the county. 17,638 people statewide have died from the disease, with 295,106 positive cases in the state.
  • Gov. Cuomo gave his daily briefing from Syracuse yesterday, and laid out more guidelines for parts of the state to start reopening after May 15. He also said this year's state fair probably would not be able to happen, unless the entire state were fully reopened by summer, which isn't likely. 
  • Elective surgeries are allowed to resume across parts of upstate NY, but in Syracuse, even though surgeries can resume, they probably won't for weeks.

Tuesday, April 28

3:02 p.m. McMahon says there have been three more deaths in the county from COVID-19 since yesterday. A woman in her early 70s, a woman in her 90s, and a man in his 50s, all with underlying health conditions. The total number of cases in the county is up to 841, up 22 from yesterday. 37 people are hospitalized, 8 in critical condition. 

2:55 p.m. Onondaga County Executive Ryan McMahon will hold his daily briefing at 3 p.m. Watch live: 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7KdYDVuaDmA

1:07 p.m. Cuomo says guidance will go out to regions today on whether they can resume elective surgeries. He said central New York will receive guidance today, and would be allowed to resume elective surgeries. But some hospital administrators in the region say they won't be able to start elective surgeries until mid-May or early June. 

1:05 p.m. Cuomo says he will announce a decision on whether schools will remain closed for the rest of the academic year at the end of this week. As for whether colleges will be able to have students back on campus this fall, Cuomo says "I can't tell you what September will look like."

12:55 p.m. Cuomo says he doesn't see the NYS Fair being able to open, unless the entire tri-state region is fully reopened. 

12:35 p.m. Cuomo says regions will have to present plans to the state that meet a number of criteria before reopening, including having "isolation facilities" available for people to stay if they test positive for COVID-19 and don't want to go home and risk infecting family members. 

12:28 p.m. Cuomo says in terms of reopening, hospitals can't be overwhelmed. If hospitals in a region hit 70% capacity or if the transmission rate reaches 1.1, which is considered an outbreak, that is a sign of danger. Cuomo says the percentage of positive tests is much lower across much of upstate, close to 7% in CNY, than in downstate areas. 

12:25 p.m. Speaking in Syracuse, Gov. Cuomo says the number of new hospitalizations from COVID-19 is under 1,000. 335 people in the state passed away yesterday. Cuomo says that number is getting smaller, but not fast enough. 

11:25 a.m. UPDATE: Gov. Cuomo's briefing will now be held at 12:15 p.m. Watch live below. (Video player will appear a few minutes before the briefing begins. 

8:50 a.m. Gov. Andrew Cuomo will give his daily briefing in Syracuse later this morning. Cuomo is expected to visit Upstate University Hospital, where he will give his briefing. We'll have live video here of Cuomo's briefing when it begins. 

8:30 a.m. There will be more milk giveaways in Oswego County this week. The Salvation Army and the city of Fulton will hold a milk giveaway on First St. near Fulton City Hall tomorrow from 3-5:30 p.m. Thursday, there will be another giveaway Thursday at the Oswego County Fairgrounds in Sandy Creek and at Pulaski High School from 2-6 p.m. or until supplies run out. 

6:00 a.m. Good morning. We'll have the usual updates later today from Gov. Andrew Cuomo and Onondaga County Executive Ryan McMahon, as well as other updates through the day. In the meantime, here are some of yesterday's top stories. 

  • Onondaga County reported the 26th death in the county from COVID-19. The latest victim is a woman in her 70s with underlying medical conditions. The county now has a total of 819 cases. Oneida, Oswego and Wayne counties all reported new deaths yesterday. Meanwhile, officials are warning people to check with their doctor if they want to be tested for COVID-19 antibodies. 
  • New York’s finances will suffer for some years to come, and there are likely to be big cuts to schools and local governments because of the coronavirus pandemic, according to a report released over the weekend by Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s budget office. The report finds a $13.3 billion shortfall in this year’s budget, with a $61 billion structural deficit over the next four years. Cuomo has said in recent days that there may be steep cuts coming to local governments. 
  • The news isn't much better in the city of Syracuse, which is looking at a $30 million shortfall in revenue from the pandemic, mainly from lost sales taxes. That doesn't include potential cuts from the state. 

Monday, April 27

3:25 p.m. Oneida County Executive Anthony Picente reported another death from COVID-19 in the last day, bringing the total there to 15. There are now 378 total cases in the county. Picente said he will sign an executive order requiring people to wear a mask in any retail store. Businesses will need to enforce the order, and if they don't, Picente said they could face fines. 

3:10 p.m. There's been a potential exposure of COVID-19 in two stores in Onondaga County. An employee at the Target store in Clay and an employee at the Walmart in East Syracuse both tested positive. Both employees wore face masks while at work, but officials say anyone at those stores at the following times should watch for potential symptoms. 

Target, Route 31, Clay

  • Sun. April 19: 7 a.m. - noon
  • Mon. April 20: 7 a.m. - noon
  • Tues. April 21: 7 a.m. - noon

Walmart, 6438 Basile Rowe, E. Syracuse

  • Tues. April 21: 4 p.m. - 11 p.m.
  • Wed. April 22: 3 p.m. - 10:30 p.m.

3:00 p.m. McMahon says another person has died from COVID-19. A woman in her 70s with underlying health conditions passed away yesterday. That is the 26th death in the county. There are now a total of 819 cases in the county, up 21 from yesterday. 40 people are hospitalized, 10 in critical condition. There are 275 active cases in the county. 

2:55 p.m. Onondaga County Executive Ryan McMahon will hold his daily briefing at 3 p.m. Watch live: 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ojPUH_Pa7A8

11:50 a.m. Cuomo says the state will work to prevent milk dumping by upstate farmers by working with dairy companies and cooperatives to buy excess milk and dairy products and give it to downstate food banks. 

11:40 a.m. Cuomo says when the current NY Pause order expires May 15, he says he will extend it for some parts of the state, and allow some parts of the state to start to reopen. He says regions need to start thinking about how to reopen. 

11:37 a.m. Cuomo says new antibody test results shows a nearly 15% infection rate statewide, but the results are much lower across upstate New York. Testing shows the infection rate in Central New York at 1.3%, 1.25 across the North Country, 2.6% across the Mohawk Valley. 

11:35 a.m. Gov. Cuomo says the number of people hospitalized continues to slowly drop, but there were still 1,000 new cases of COVID-19 diagnosed yesterday. 337 people in the state died in the last day. 

11:20 a.m. Gov. Andrew Cuomo will give his daily briefing at 11:30 a.m. Watch below. (Video player will appear a few minutes before the briefing begins)

7:20 a.m. Good morning. We'll have live video of Gov. Andrew Cuomo's daily briefing later today. We'll also have live video of Onondaga County Executive Ryan McMahon's briefing at 3 p.m. 

New this morning, a poll from the Siena Research Institute shows Cuomo's favorability rating at it's highest point since 2011. His favorability rating is 77%. By a 78-16 margin, voters say they trust Cuomo over President Trump to make a determination about reopening New York. 92% of those polled support Cuomo's executive order to wear a mask in public when social distancing isn't possible. Cuomo was viewed favorable by 53% of Republicans, his first favorable rating with Republicans in six years. Read more about the poll here.

Credit Siena Research Institute

Sunday, April 26

5:00 p.m. Onondaga County Executive Ryan McMahon did not have a briefing today, but his office reports 24 new cases of COVID-19 since yesterday, bringing the total number in the county up to 798. 42 people are hospitalized, 10 are in critical condition. 

12:10 p.m. Cuomo says 367 people in the state died from COVID-19 in the last day, bringing the total to 16,966. Talking about reopening, says the CDC says state and regional hospitalization rate must be in decline for 14 days. He says the state will reopen in phases, based on a regional analysis. Phase one will involve construction and manufacturing with low risk. Phase two will be more essential businesses, with lower risk. There will be two weeks in between phases to monitor the effects. There will be no attractions or openings that would draw large numbers of visitors from outside the local area. 

11:55 a.m. Gov. Andrew Cuomo will give his daily briefing at noon. Watch below: 

6:45 a.m. Good morning. We'll have live video of Gov. Andrew Cuomo's daily briefing later today. Onondaga County Executive Ryan McMahon is not holding a briefing today. His daily briefing will resume tomorrow. Here are a few headlines from yesterday:

  • New York state will allow first responders, health care workers, and essential employees to be tested for COVID-19, regardless of whether they’ve displayed symptoms, as the state begins to expand its testing criteria for the disease. Independent pharmacies in New York will also now be allowed to test individuals for COVID-19. Those samples will be shipped to a lab for results.

  • If you recover from COVID-19, are you immune to it? The World Health Organizationsaid the idea that one-time infection can lead to immunity remains unproven and is thus unreliable as a foundation for the next phase of the world's response to the pandemic.

Saturday, April 25

3:13 p.m. Oneida County Executive Anthony Picente says there have been three new deaths from COVID-19 in the county since yesterday, bringing the total number of deaths there to 14. There have also been 17 new cases reported since yesterday, bringing the total number of cases to 353. 

3:02 p.m. McMahon says there are now 774 cases of COVID-19 in the county, up 28 from yesterday. 39 people are hospitalized, 11 in critical condition. 505 people have recovered, meaning there are currently 244 active cases in the county. 

2:55 p.m. Onondaga County Executive Ryan McMahon will give his daily briefing at 3 p.m. Watch live: 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1eOHP2YCrXQ

11:40 a.m. Cuomo says 437 deaths in the state yesterday from COVID-19, up slightly from the day before. "This is just terrible terrible horrific news," Cuomo says. Overall, hospitalizations and ICU admissions continue to drop slowly. 

11:30 a.m. Gov. Andrew Cuomo will give his daily briefing at 11:30 a.m. Watch live:

7:35 a.m. The executive order the governor issued yesterday requiring the state Board of Elections to mail all voters an application for an absentee ballot for the June 23 primary elections also included a provision canceling all special elections that were scheduled for that day. Originally, the state's presidential primary was scheduled for April 28. A special election for a central New York state Senate seat was also scheduled for that day. A few weeks ago, Cuomo moved the April 28 elections to June 23, to coincide with federal and state primaries. While the primaries will still be held June 23, the special elections are canceled and will be decided in the general election in November. The 50th State Senate District seat was held by Republican Bob Antonacci, who served one year in the Senate before being elected to a state judge position last November. John Mannion, a Democrat who lost to Antonacci in 2018, is running again for the seat. Businesswoman Angi Renna is running on the Republican side. 

7:15 a.m. Good morning. We'll have live video of Gov. Cuomo's briefing later today and Onondaga County Executive Ryan McMahon's daily briefing at 3 p.m. In the meantime, here are some of yesterday's top stories. 

  • Two more people have died from COVID-19 in Onondaga County, bringing the total number of deaths to 25. The total number of cases in the county is up to 746. 39 people are hospitalized, 14 in critical condition. 
  • Gov. Cuomo said yesterday the state is facing a budget deficit of $61 billion over the next four years because of the pandemic. Cuomo again criticized federal lawmakers for not including aid to local governments in the economic relief package that passed this week. Cuomo also said yesterday that he has signed an executive order requiring the state Board of Elections to send a postage-paid absentee ballot application to all New Yorkers for the June 23 primary elections. Cuomo said polls will still be open, but this will give New Yorkers a choice if they don't feel comfortable going out to vote due to the pandemic. 

Friday, April 24

4:05 p.m. Onondaga County Executive Ryan McMahon says two more county residents have died of COVID-19. A man in his 70s and a woman in her 70s, both with underlying health conditions have passed away. 25 people in the county have died. The total number of cases of COVID-19 in the county is up to 746, up 22 cases from yesterday. 39 people are hospitalized, 14 in critical condition. 

2:00 p.m. Update: Onondaga County Executive Ryan McMahon's daily briefing will be held at 4 p.m. today. We'll have live video here when it begins. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vMsEg19eWcs

11:51 a.m. Cuomo says he will issue an executive order today to make sure every New Yorker automatically receives an application for a mail-in ballot for the June 23 elections. This involves the Democratic presidential primary, congressional and state legislative primaries, and the special election for the state Senate's 50th District race in central New York. Cuomo says polls would still be open, but this gives people an option to vote absentee if they want. 

11:47 a.m. Cuomo says the state has a $13.3 revenue shortfall because of the coronavirus. In response to Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell saying that states should declare bankruptcy, Cuomo says "Legally state's cannot declare bankruptcy. He challenges the Senate to pass a law allowing states to declare bankruptcy. "I dare you," he said. You want to send an international message that our economy is in turmoil? Pass the bill. I dare you."

11:38 a.m. Cuomo says if we reopen now, and everyone goes back to work and school, you will see new infections rise rapidly, worse than what we've seen. "All the progress we have made will be gone if the stte does not reopen correctly," he said.

11:35 a.m. Gov. Cuomo says while the number of hospitalizations and ICU admissions continues to drop slowly, there were still 1,200 new hospitalizations for COVID-19 in the last day. There have been 422 deaths from the disease in the last day, bringing the statewide total to 16,162.

11:25 a.m. Gov. Andrew Cuomo will give his daily briefing at 11:30 a.m. Watch live. (Video player will appear once the briefing begins).

7:00 a.m. Good morning. We'll have live video of Gov. Andrew Cuomo's briefing later today and of Onondaga County Executive Ryan McMahon's briefing at 3 p.m. We'll also have updates through the day. Here are some of today's stories.

  • Random antibody testing of 3,000 New Yorkers found 13.9% have already had the virus.Gov. Cuomo said the tests were conducted in 40 grocery stores in 19 counties across the state earlier in the week. The preliminary results show the percentage of New Yorkers who have already had the disease varies in regions of the state. The highest number was 21.2% in New York City, which has been the epicenter of the virus. On Long Island, 16.7% were previously infected and recovered; in Westchester and Rockland counties, the figure was 11.7%; and in the rest of state, it was 3.6%.
  • At a virtual town hall meeting yesterday, Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY) and Rep. John Katko (R-Camillus) agreed that federal funding should go to help local governments. No funding for local governments was included in the economic relief bill that passed the House yesterday. “I’ve talked to our mayors all across New York, and a lot of them are now deciding whether they’re going to lay off police officers and firefighters, because they can’t balance their budgets,” Gillibrand said.
  • Syracuse Mayor Ben Walsh said he was also disappointed in the lack of federal help for local governments. "We provide those basic essential services we’ve talked about in recent weeks. Police, fire, the health department," Walsh said. "Think about where we would be as a community if the county was not in the position to fund the health department the way they need to. That’s what’s on the line here."

Thursday, April 23

7:00 p.m. Syracuse Mayor Ben Walsh said he was disappointed that the economic relief package that passed the House this evening contained no funding for local governments. He said he understands that businesses and hospitals need the funding, but cities and counties need it too. "We provide those basic essential services we’ve talked about in recent weeks. Police, fire, the health department," Walsh said. "Think about where we would be as a community if the county was not in the position to fund the health department the way they need to. That’s what’s on the line here."

3:05 p.m. McMahon says there has been another death from COVID-19 in the county. A woman in her 70s with underlying health conditions has died. "This is too tough. Especially because loved ones cannot be in the hospital with their dying loved ones," McMahon said.  This is the 23rd death in the county so far. There are now a total of 724 cases in the county, 280 are currently active. 42 people are hospitalized, 12 are in critical condition. 

2:55 p.m. Onondaga County Executive Ryan McMahon will give his daily briefing at 3 p.m. Watch live:

-d9p0?t=701

12:03 p.m. Cuomo says the testing broken down by region shows about 3.6% of people in upstate NY have been infected. But he says more testing needs to be done. 

11:57 a.m. Cuomo says if 13.9% of the state population has been infected with the coronavirus, that equals about 2.7 million people statewide have been infected. With the total number of deaths now at around 15,500, that means the death rate is about 0.5%. But Cuomo says 15,500 is not an accurate number of deaths, because it does not include people who have died at home. He says the actual number of deaths is likely much higher. 

11:52 a.m. Cuomo says they have preliminary results of testing done at grocery stores and other big box stores over the last several days. He said this is important because the people tested were not at home, were out in public, but were not symptomatic. The people tested were not sick. The testing found that about 13.9% of people tested had antibodies. This means that 13.9% of the people randomly tested had the virus at one point, and now have the antibodies against it. "This goes along with our anecdotal data," Cuomo said.

11:45 a.m. Cuomo is talking about regulations involved with nursing homes, stressing that they are private facilities. He said the state health department and attorney general's office will undertake a joint investigation into nursing homes in the state to make sure the policies listed below are followed. 

11:42 a.m. Gov. Cuomo says the number of hospitalizations and intubations continues to drop slightly, and the number of new hospitalizations is flat. "Not great news, but it could be worse," Cuomo said. The number of deaths in the state in the last day is 438. 

11:30 a.m. Gov. Andrew Cuomo will give his daily briefing at 11:30 a.m. Watch live (video will appear once the briefing begins).

7:00 a.m. Good morning. We'll have live video of Gov. Andrew Cuomo's daily briefing later today and of Onondaga County Executive Ryan McMahon's briefing at 3 p.m. We'll also have updates through the day. Here are some of today's stories. 

  • Gov. Cuomo plans to create a "tracing army" to help find and isolate people with the coronavirus. Former New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg will help design the tracing program, and will contribute $10 million for the effort. 
  • Cuomo said yesterday that the state's "not there yet" on making a decision on when to reopen schools. Cuomo said reopening schools has to be done in conjunction with reopening businesses, because "where will kids go if parents are going back to work?" He has said in the last few days that if the federal government doesn't provide funding for state governments, he will have to cut funding to schools by 20%, which school administrators say would be "devastating."
  • Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY) and Rep. John Katko (R-Camillus) will participate in a bipartisan town hall meeting later today on the coronavirus. They'll be joined by Upstate University Hospital CEO Dr. Robert Corona. To watch the town hall and submit questions, register for the town hall here.

Wednesday, April 22

6:30 p.m. LeMoyne College said today it will continue online learning for all classes, and cancel all on-campus activities though July 31. College President Linda LeMura said in a letter to the campus community that they intend to return to a "more normal academic and student experience" in the fall, but will continue to follow guidance from the CDC. 

3:05 p.m. Onondaga County Executive Ryan McMahon says the total number of cases of COVID-19 in the county is up to 695, up 28 from the day before. 44 people are hospitalized, 13 in critical condition. 

3:02 p.m. Oneida County Executive Anthony Picente says there have been 20 new cases of COVID-19 in the county since yesterday. There are now a total of 313 cases in the county. 

2:55 p.m. Onondaga County Executive Ryan McMahon will give his daily briefing at 3 p.m. Watch live:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QvILTT6P7Ds

12:00 p.m. Cuomo says he's been getting a lot of pressure from local governments to reopen. He says he understands that people need to get back to work and start earning their paychecks. "We are not going to have people lose their life because we acted imprudently," he said. Cuomo says there may be a second wave, or a third wave. "Don't get cocky because the first wave didn't knock you off your feet," he said. 

11:50 a.m. Cuomo says former NYC Mayor Michael Bloomberg will help the state create a new testing and tracing program. He says it will be essential to reopening the state. There are currently 2,500 tracers in the downstate area, but 35,000 medical students from SUNY and CUNY will work with the state as tracers.

11:40 a.m. Cuomo starts his briefing by saying this is Day 53 since the state had its first case of COVID-19. He says it feels terribly long and is stressful. "It's a terrible period of time, but we have to deal with it," he said. But he said the state is in a relatively good place, as hospitalizations continue to slowly decline. "Better to be going down than going up." He said 474 New Yorkers have died in the last day. 

11:15 a.m. Gov. Cuomo will give his daily briefing at 11:30 a.m. Watch live below (video player will appear a few minutes before the briefing begins).

7:15 a.m. Good morning. As usual, we'll have updates throughout the day, as well as live video of Gov. Cuomo's daily briefing later today and of Onondaga County Executive Ryan McMahon's briefing at 3 p.m. In the meantime, here are some of today's top stories. 

  • Gov. Cuomo said last night that his meeting yesterday with President Trump was "productive" and that Trump has agreed to help the state get materials for more testing. Cuomo said the goal is to double the number of people tested each day from 20,000 to 40,000. But Cuomo warned that would take "several weeks, at best."
  • The Navy hospital ship USNS Comfort, which has been docked in New York City to help with COVID-19 patients, will be leaving and headed back its Virginia port, and will be sent elsewhere to help with the pandemic. The Comfort has only treated 179 patients since arriving in New York March 30. "I believe the Comfort not only brought comfort, but saved lives," Cuomo said last night.
  • Elective surgeries are expected to resume next week in hospitals across much of upstate New York, after Gov. Cuomo lifted the restrictions yesterday. Surgeries are still not allowed in areas with high numbers of patients with COVID-19. But all of central and northern NY has been cleared to resume outpatient surgeries. Most hospital systems in the region have furloughed staff due to lost revenue, mainly from elective surgeries. 

Tuesday, April 21

7:30 p.m. Cuomo is criticizing Congress over failing to include funding for states in the bill passed today. "You're going to fund small business, and airlines, but you're not going to fund police? You're not going to fund fire? You're not going to fund healthcare workers? You're not going to fund teachers?"He said President Trump "understood the issue, and would work very hard to get funding including in the next piece of legislation, if there is one."

7:10 p.m. Gov. Cuomo says he will hold a briefing at 7:15 p.m. He's expected to talk about his meeting today with President Trump. Watch below.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hiBOXc5vwng

3:18 p.m. McMahon said he has had a few calls with leaders from other counties about a possible restart plan. He said those conversations will continue, but no plan has been decided yet. 

3:14 p.m. McMahon says the voluntary shelter in place period has ended. He thanked residents for staying home as much as possible during this time. He said he won't extend the order at this time, but asks residents to continue to do what they've done for the last two weeks. 

3:04 p.m. Onondaga County Executive Ryan McMahon says another county resident has died of COVID-19. A man in his 50s with underlying health conditions has passed away. 22 people in the county have died. The total number of cases of COVID-19 in the county is up to 667, up 21 cases from yesterday. 44 people are hospitalized, 16 in critical condition. 

3:02 p.m. Oneida County Executive Anthony Picente says there have been three deaths from COVID-19 in the last day. He said there are a total of seven new cases since yesterday, bringing the total to 293. Watch his briefing below. 

2:55 p.m. Onondaga County Executive Ryan McMahon will give his daily briefing at 3 p.m. Watch live: 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vvu1i_8HHK0

12:00 p.m. During his briefing, Cuomo said some upstate hospitals will be able to resume elective surgeries. He said counties and hospitals without a significant risk of a spike in COVID-19 cases will be allowed to resume surgeries. Surgeries will still not be allowed in New York City, Westchester, Rockland, Erie and Albany counties, and any other county with a lot of cases. It's not clear if hospitals in central NY will be excluded. 

10:45 a.m. Watch Gov. Andrew Cuomo's daily briefing live (video player will appear once the briefing begins.

9:00 a.m. Gov. Cuomo will give his daily briefing at 10:45 a.m. at Roswell Park Cancer Institute in Buffalo. We'll post live video here once it begins. Cuomo will then go to Washington, D.C. for a meeting with President Trump at 3 p.m.

7:00 a.m. Good morning. Gov. Andrew Cuomo will meet with President Trump this afternoon in Washington. If Cuomo has his daily briefing later today, we'll have live video here. We'll also have video of Onondaga County Executive Ryan McMahon's briefing at 3 p.m. Here are a few of today's top stories. 

Monday, April 20

8:00 p.m.  Gov. Andrew Cuomo will travel to Washington D.C. tomorrow to meet with President Trump. During today's briefing from the White House Coronavirus Task Force, Trump said "Andrew is going to be coming in with some of his people and we're look forward to that." Trump and Cuomo have feuded at times, as recently as Friday, when Trump criticized Cuomo during Cuomo's daily briefing.

3:03 p.m. McMahon says two more people have died as a result of COVID-19 in the last day. One woman was in her 80s, and a woman in her 70s, both with underlying health conditons. There have been a total of 21 deaths in the county. McMahon says there are 646 total cases in the county, 263 of those cases are active. 42 people are in the hospital, 18 in critical condition. 

2:55 p.m. Onondaga County Executive Ryan McMahon will give his daily briefing at 3 p.m. Watch live below.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d5KmCHwmmto

11:50 a.m. Cuomo says if the federal government does not provide a bailout to states, the state will have to cut funding to schools, hospitals and local governments by 20%. "I'm worried," said Cuomo. Cuomo is also calling on the federal government to provide hazard pay to frontline workers, including healthcare workers, grocery store employees, etc. He'd like to see them get a 50% bonus. 

11:40 a.m. Gov. Cuomo says the rate of hospitalizations and ICU admissions continues to drop slightly, but "the terrible news" is that 478 people have died from COVID-19 in the last day. 

11:30 a.m. Gov. Andrew Cuomo is giving his daily briefing. Watch live: 

9:20 a.m. Syracuse University is instituting major cuts in response to the coronavirus pandemic. In a letter to the campus this morning, Chancellor Kent Syverud said the university has had $35 million in unplanned expenses and revenue shortfalls in the last few months due to the pandemic. As a result, all staff in senior leadership roles will take a 10% pay cut, this includes coaches in football, basketball and lacrosse. The university is also freezing salaries for fiscal year 2021 and will freeze hiring for nonessential positions. SU will also implement a 5% cost reduction across academic, administrative and auxiliary units, and stop all new construction projects, aside from those already underway. Read Syverud's letter here.

7:30 a.m. Good morning. Gov. Andrew Cuomo will hold his daily briefing later today. You'll find live video here on the live blog. Yesterday, he said the federal government has helped New York, but the state, and all states, need financial help in the next stimulus package. He said that if New York doesn't get federal help, the state may have to cut school funding to localities by as much as 50%. He also said hospital funding may also have to be cut. 

Onondaga County Executive Ryan McMahon will also give his daily briefing at 3 p.m. We'll have live video here of that briefing as well. We'll also have updates throughout the day. Stay tuned. 

Sunday, April 19

3:02 p.m. McMahon says another county resident has died of COVID-19. A woman in her 60s with underlying health conditions has passed away. 19 people in the county have died. The total number of cases of COVID-19 in the county is up to 637. 42 people are hospitalized, 19 in critical condition. Right now, the number of active cases is 257. 

2:55 p.m. Onondaga County Executive Ryan McMahon's daily briefing begins at 3 p.m. Watch live: 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xjNgxq0ue5o

2:40 p.m. Oneida County Executive Anthony Picente says there are six new cases of COVID-19 in the county, bringing the total number of cases to 281. He said there has also been another death from the disease, bringing the total to eight. 

2:30 p.m. Madison County Officials say there was a possible exposure of COVID-19 at the Walmart in Oneida. Officials say an individual that tested positive was at that store on Wednesday, April 14. Anyone who was at that store on that day from 1-4 p.m. should self-monitor for symptoms. 

12:33 p.m. Cuomo says if the federal government doesn't provide states with funding in a new stimulus package, school funding to localities may be cut up to 50%, and hospital funding may need to be cut. The National Governor's Association, of which Cuomo is vice-chair, is calling on a $500 billion stimulus package to be distributed to states. 

12:27 p.m. Cuomo says the state will "undertake the most aggressive statewide antibody testing" program that will start next week. 

12:25 p.m. Cuomo says while the news is good right now, it's no time to relax. "This is only halftime in the entire situation. We still have to make sure we keep the infection rate down, the hospitalization rate down, as we become eager to get outside."He again makes the case that more testing is needed to to successfully reopen the state in phases. 

12:23 p.m. Cuomo is thanking healthcare workers from across the nation for helping with patients in New York. He says Massachusetts is seeing a big increase in cases, and New York will loan Massachusetts 400 ventilators, if they need them.

12:20 p.m. Cuomo says nursing homes are the state's number one concern. "We have had really disturbing situations in nursing homes," he said. 507 New Yorkers died in the last day, bringing the total number of deaths to 13,869.

12:15 p.m. "All indications are that we are on a decent," Cuomo says, as hospitalizations contiue to go down. He says it should continue to go down as long "as we keep doing what we're doing." He says with all of the good news, there were still 1,300 people who tested positive and were hospitalized yesterday.

11:45 a.m. Gov. Andrew Cuomo will hold his daily briefing at noon. Watch live below. (Video player will appear a few minutes before the briefing begins)

8:30 a.m. Have you ever wanted to have an online wedding? Well, in New York, now you can. Gov. Cuomo signed an executive order yesterday allowing people to obtain a marriage license online, and for town or city clerks to perform wedding ceremonies via video conference. "Video marriage ceremonies. There’s now no excuse when the question comes up for marriage. No excuse," Cuomo said yesterday. 

8:00 a.m. Good morning. As usual, we'll have live video of Gov. Andrew Cuomo's briefing later today, and Onondaga County Executive Ryan McMahon's briefing at 3 p.m. In the meantime, here are some of yesterday's top stories. 

  • Gov. Cuomo said yesterday that New York may be past the plateau on COVID-19, but it is still not the time to relax social distancing protocols. While net number of hospitalizations is slowly dropping, Cuomo said about 2,000 people are still being hospitalized each day. 
  • Onondaga County reported its 18th death from COVID-19 yesterday. The total number of cases in the county is now 624, 276 are active cases. Meanwhile, private golf courses around the state are now being told they can allow members to play on their courses, as long as they maintain at least six feet away from each other. 

Saturday, April 18

7:30 p.m. New guidance from New York State will affect a few different recreational activities. First, the state now says members of private golf clubs will be allowed to play on their courses, as long as there are no gatherings and players stay a minimum of six feet apart. Facilities, including clubhouses must remain closed. In addition, Gov. Cuomo announced tonight that marinas will be open for personal use, "as long a strict social distancing and sanitization protocols are followed." Charter and rental services are still not allowed. 

3:10 p.m. Oneida County Executive Anthony Picente says there's been another death in the county from COVID-19. There are a total of 279 cases in the county, 25 people are hospitalized in the county, six outside the county. 

3:05 p.m. McMahon says there's been another death in the county from COVID-19, a woman in her 60s with underlying health conditions. There have been 624 total cases in the county, with 276 current active cases. 43 people are hospitalized, 21 in critical condition. 

2:55 p.m. Onondaga County Executive Ryan McMahon will give his daily briefing at 3 p.m. Watch live below:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6DMBBkOWjsA

11:37 a.m. Cuomo says hospitalizations are down. He says the state may be past the apex and on the downward side of the curve. But he says "Happy days are not here again. We still have about 2,000 new COVID hospitalizations every day. 540 people have died in the last day. Cuomo says it's better than it has been, but it's still a tragic number. 

11:25 a.m. Gov. Cuomo will give his daily briefing at 11:30 a.m. Watch live below. (Live video will appear when the briefing begins. You may need to refresh the page)

7:45 a.m. More than two dozen inmates and correctional officers at the Broome County Correctional Facility near Binghamton have been infected with COVID-19, according to a report in the New York Post. Prisoners told the Post that they were forced to clean up the jail's infirmary after COVID-19 patients had been treated there, without proper protective equipment. 16 inmates and 14 correctional officers have tested positive so far, according to the Post. 

7:15 a.m. Good morning. A reminder that we'll have live video of Gov. Andrew Cuomo's briefing later today, and we'll have video of Onondaga County Executive Ryan McMahon's briefing at 3 p.m. We'll also have updates throughout the day. In the meantime, here are some top stories. 

  • During Cuomo's briefing yesterday, President Trump tweeted criticism to the governor telling him to "stop complaining." When a reporter asked Cuomo for his reaction to Trump's tweets, Cuomo said "First of all, if he's sitting at home watching TV, maybe HE should get up and get to work."
  • Onondaga County had 12 more positive cases of COVID-19 yesterday, bringing the total number of cases in the county to 598. County Executive Ryan McMahon said the county will start aggressively testing seniors in nursing homes, assisted living facilities and senior apartments, as well as employees in those facilities. He also said he and leaders from around central New York will work together on a plan to reopen things on a regional level. 

Friday, April 17

3:15 p.m. McMahon says CNY leaders will soon meet to talk about a "Central New York restart plan." McMahon says they will discuss "when we restart certain things and we roll them out based on data." He said whenever a restart happens, it will be phased in. We're gong to work on a plan, we're going present that plan to the state, and we implement the plan when the data merits, and our public health department agrees that they have the ability to deal with this threat in real time. We're not there now, we don't have our plan done, but we do agree that central New York can be looked at as a region in this process."

3:10 p.m. McMahon says the county will be going and testing for seniors in assisted living and in senior apartments. Employees will also be tested. "By doing this, we're going to save lives, and this is what this is all about. Saving lives," McMahon said. 

3:04 p.m. Oneida County Executive Anthony Picente says there are 14 new cases of COVID-19 in the county, for a total of 263 cases in the county. Watch his briefing below: 

3:02 p.m. Onondaga County Executive Ryan McMahon says there are now 598 cases of COVID-19 in the county, 19 more from yesterday. 47 people are hospitalized, 22 in critical condition. 310 people have recovered and have been released from mandatory isolation. That means there are currently 271 active cases. 

3:00 p.m. Onondaga County Executive Ryan McMahon is giving his daily briefing. Watch live: 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jb8C-xWhudE

12:49 p.m. After spending about 10 minutes responding directly to the president over his tweets critical of Cuomo, he shows a slide of the White House Coronavirus Task Force's projections as of March 31. He then said, looking right into the camera "Our only mistake was believing your numbers and your projections. I won't make that mistake again."

12:42 p.m. More Cuomo, responding to Trump: "You want me to say thank you? Thank you for doing your job. Thank you for participating in a modicum of federal responsibility in a national crisis. Thank you for having the federal government participate in a national emergency."

12:40 p.m. Cuomo has spent the last several minutes of his briefing responding to President Trump's tweet criticizing him. "What am I supposed to do? Send a bouquet of flowers?" he asks. "I don’t need the president to tell me to read the Constitution. Maybe he should have read the Constitution."

12:36 p.m. President Trump, who was likely watching Gov. Cuomo's briefing on television, offered this tweet. 

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Gov. Cuomo's response to the president: ""First of all, if he's sitting at home watching TV, maybe HE should get up and get to work."

11:55 a.m. Gov. Cuomo said the state does not have the testing system to ramp up to the volume that is needed. The tests require certain chemical agents that come from China. Cuomo said the federal government has to be part of the approach of getting more tests to states. Cuomo called the current system of states and the federal government competing for tests, “mayhem.” And the states, he said, have gotten nothing from Congress in unrestricted aid. “That is passing the buck, without passing the bucks,” Cuomo said.

11:40 a.m. Total hospitalizations in New York continues to tick down. But 2,000 people a day are still being admitted into hospitals. There were 630 deaths, a number that is flat, but not going down dramatically, Gov. Cuomo said.

11:30 a.m. Gov. Andrew Cuomo will give his daily briefing at 11:30 a.m. We'll have live video here, or you can watch at ny.gov.0000017a-3c68-d913-abfe-bd6c26ec0000

7:00 a.m. Good morning. We'll have updates throughout the day, including live video of Gov. Cuomo's briefing later today and Onondaga County Executive Ryan McMahon's briefing at 3 p.m. Here are a few of today's top stories. 

Thursday, April 16

3:09 p.m. Oneida County Executive Anthony Picente says two people have died of COVID-19 in the last day, bringing the total number of cases there to six. 249 people total have tested positive. 

3:02 p.m. Onondaga County Executive Ryan McMahon says five people have died in the last day from COVID-19, bringing the total of deaths in the county to 17. "Needless to say, this is a tough day," McMahon said. There are now 579 cases of COVID-19 in the county. 53 people are hospitalized, 20 in critical condition. 

2:55 p.m. Onondaga County Executive Ryan McMahon will give his daily briefing at 3 p.m. Watch live. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HrMf0GdBTOU

1:24 p.m. Central New York Rep. John Katko says he has also been named to the Task Force on Restarting the Economy. "I am honored to be named to the bipartisan, bicameral Task Force on Reopening the Economy to begin this important work across party lines, and to ensure Central New York’s voice is heard. I look forward to working with members of the Task Force and the Administration to develop innovative and bipartisan measures to deliver economic relief to our community and nation," Katko said in a statement.

12:45 p.m. North County Rep. Elise Stefanik (R-Schuylerville) said today she has been named to the Task Force on Restarting the Economy by President Trump. The goal of the task force is to safely reopen the country once COVID-19 is contained. 

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12:08 p.m. Cuomo says anyone riding public transportation, and anyone riding in "for hire" vehicles will need to wear a mask. This means anyone who rides on a bus, in a taxi, or is a passenger for Uber or Lyft must  wear a mask. Drivers will need to wear a mask as well. This goes into effect tomorrow at 8 p.m. 

12:02 p.m. Cuomo says 'New York Pause' has worked, but we are not there yet. He is extending the closure of schools and nonessential businesses through May 15. 

11:47 a.m. Cuomo is explaining the steps that would be needed to reopen the state. He says it will be a "new normal" that will force us to "re-imagine the workplace." Businesses will need to ensure that they can keep employees at a safe social distancing. 

11:37 a.m. Gov. Cuomo says the hospitalization rate in the state is down slightly, as is the number of total hospitalizations. He says about 2,000 people a day in the state are going into a hospital with COVID-19 symptoms. Cuomo says 606 people in the state died from the disease in the last day, 29 people died in nursing homes. 

9:40 a.m. Gov. Andrew Cuomo will give his daily briefing at 11:30 a.m. We'll have live video here, or you can watch at ny.gov

9:00 a.m. Data released by the U.S. Department of Labor this morning shows another big spike in the number of people who filed for unemployment in the last week. 5.2 million people filed for unemployment last week, raising the total number of unemployment claims to 22 million over the last four week. In New York, 1.1 million people filed for unemployment for the week ending April 4. 

7:00 a.m. Good morning. We'll post live video of Gov. Cuomo's briefing later today and Onondaga County Executive Ryan McMahon's daily briefing at 3 p.m., as well as other updates through the day. In the meantime, here are some top stories:

  • Gov. Cuomo has issued an executive order requiring all New Yorkers to wear a mask or face covering when they go out in public, and are in a situation where social distancing is not possible, like on public transportation, a busy street, in a store, etc. Cuomo said there will be no civil penalties or fines for not wearing a mask, but may be added if enough people don't comply.
  • Onondaga County Executive Ryan McMahon said it would be difficult to enforce the governor's order.The county reported its 12th death from COVID-19 yesterday, a man in his 90s. There were a total of 563 cases in the county as of yesterday.  
  • COVID-19 is spreading through the state and federal prison system. The state Department of Corrections is considering releasing inmates over the age of 55 who are within 90 days of their release date. Former NYS Senate leader Dean Skelos, who is currently serving a four-year sentence in a federal prison in Otisville, NY, tested positive for the coronavirus earlier this month. He is scheduled to be released June 4, 2021, but a judge is expected to release him to a halfway house as soon as June 4 of this year. 

Wednesday, April 15

4:35 p.m. We apologize for the lack of updates over the last few hours. We were having some hiccups with our website. Onondaga County Executive Ryan McMahon had his daily briefing at 3 p.m. He announced the county's 12th death due to COVID-19, a man in his 90s. There are a total of 563 positive cases in the county, 53 people are hospitalized, 20 in critical condition. You can see his full briefing below. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wn8BC-qseeE

1:10 p.m. Cuomo has released new guidelines, which will be implemented by executive order, requiring that all people in public in New York must have a mask or mouth/nose covering that must be worn in situations where you are not able to maintain social distance. Three days will be given to ensure compliance. There is the possibility for a civil violation for noncompliance, if following this guideline becomes an issue. Cuomo says local governments and authorities should start enforcing this measure.

1:05 p.m. Cuomo says there are two factors to consider when discussing a phased reopening:

  • How essential is the business or service?
  • What is the risk of “infection spread” of the business?

12:55 p.m. New York state has asked the FDA for approval of a finger prick test for COVID-19 that would allow 100,000 New Yorkers to be tested per day. For context, New York state has performed 500,000 tests over the past month. The test, Cuomo said, if approved could greatly increase testing capacity in the state.

12:40 p.m. In his daily briefing, Gov. Andrew Cuomo says hospitalizations in New York state are down, once again, albeit slightly. The curve is flattening, Cuomo says. Still, approximately 2,000 people are being diagnosed with COVID-19 each day, with 752 deaths yesterday.

One note on new reporting requirements: The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) is now requiring not only confirmed COVID-19 deaths but also probable COVID-19 related deaths. The state government with work with local governments to report these numbers.

Cuomo used a metaphor of bridge building to explain how the state moves towards a reopening and what he calls a "new normal." He is still pushing for increased testing as a way to best make the decision to reopen New York and other states.

12:30 p.m. Gov. Andrew Cuomo will deliver his daily COVID-19 briefing from Albany. Watch here as well as on Governor Cuomo's website.

7:40 a.m. Good morning. The WRVO news department will be tracking updates throughout the day from the governor and local officials, check back later for details. Looking back on events of the past 24 hours:

Tuesday, April 14

4:50 p.m. Vera House, an organization based in Syracuse that helps victims of domestic and sexual violence and other forms of abuse, has launched an online chat feature for people to get help if they are unable to speak on the phone."While members of our community are encouraged to shelter in place, for victims and survivors this means they may be doing so with their abuser," said Jolie Moran, director of advocacy in a statement. "The access to support services for a victim/survivor is that much more of a barrier during a public health crisis with limited opportunity to find moments free of their abuser. Our hope is that an online chat service may provide a victim/survivor the opportunity to reach out and connect, when picking up the phone and calling may not be safe to do so." Right now, the online chat is available Monday-Friday from 2-7 p.m., with hopes to expand the service soon.

4:00 p.m. Earlier today, Madison County officials said there has been a potential exposure to the coronavirus at a Chittenango pharmacy. Officials say anyone who visited the Walgreens on W. Genesee St. in Chittenango on April 3 between 12 p.m. and 8 p.m. should self-monitor for symptoms, including fever, cough and shortness of breath. 

3:20 p.m. Syracuse Mayor Ben Walsh said the city police department has received 237 complaints involving social distancing. Walsh said most businesses have been compliant, but at least four businesses have had reports written up and sent to the New York State Attorney General’s office. For individuals who are warned and are noncompliant, Walsh said he is not willing to risk the health of police officers to take it a step further.

3:10 p.m. Oneida County Executive Anthony Picente reported the county's fourth death from COVID-19 today. The county has a total of 224 cases. Watch Picente's full briefing below.

3:05 p.m. There are 537 positive cases of COVID-19 in Onondaga County, with 17 new cases since Monday. 49 people are in the hospital and 21 people are in critical condition.

3:00 p.m. Onondaga County Executive Ryan McMahon will give his daily briefing at 3 p.m. Watch live: 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2VtxalMwO_s

11:55 a.m. Responding to President Trump’s assertion that the federal government has total authority over coronavirus restrictions, Cuomo said this is not accurate. Cuomo said the president is clearly unhappy, based on his press conference yesterday and tweets this morning. “The president is clearly spoiling for a fight on this issue,” Cuomo said. “The president will have no fight with me. I will not engage.”

11:40 a.m. Hospitalizations are basically flat in New York State. But 1,600 new people are still coming into hospitals and are being diagnosed with the coronavirus. 778 people died Monday. Gov. Cuomo said that number is basically flat as well. But, he said, “at a devastating level of pain and grief.”

11:30 a.m. Gov. Cuomo will give his daily briefing from Albany at 11:30 a.m. Watch live below (video player will appear once the briefing begins). 

9:47 a.m.: Gov. Andrew Cuomo will hold his daily COVID-19 briefing at 11:30 a.m. today in Albany. Video will be available here and on the governor's website.

7:30 - 8:20 a.m. Gov. Andrew Cuomo is making the rounds on major networks this morning, including: NBC's "The Today Show," CNN's "New Day," "CBS This Morning," and MSNBC's "Morning Joe."

6:15 a.m. Good morning. Expect the usual updates from Gov. Andrew Cuomo and county lawmakers in daily briefings today. We’ll post links to video and updates as they occur. In terms of highlights from yesterday:

Cuomo appeared on CNN’s “Out Front with Erin Burnett” yesterday evening and commented on President Trump’s daily briefing. Trump pushed back on the authority of governors to decide when states will reopen for business amidst the coronavirus pandemic. Cuomo said he did not agree with the president’s “legal analysis.”

“The president doesn’t have total authority,” Cuomo said. “We have a constitution. We don’t have a king.”

Cuomo went on the point out that states, not the federal government, made the decision to close the economy, many going beyond Centers for Disease Control (CDC) guidelines.

“But it’s not a coordinated, national approach and it’s clearly not the federal government enacting it.” Cuomo said.

He also noted that large scale diagnostic testing is going to be key to any reopening plan.

Monday, April 13

3:05 p.m. Onondaga County has had two more deaths, bringing the total casualties to 11. The victims were both women, one in their 80s and one in their 70s. “This is a grim reminder to all of us how deadly this virus is,” Onondaga County Executive Ryan McMahon said. The total number of positive cases in the county is up to 520, with 49 people in the hospital and 20 people in intensive care.  

2:50 p.m. Onondaga County Executive Ryan McMahon will give his daily briefing at 3 p.m. Watch live: 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zi45bpFvCys

2:10 p.m. Cuomo, along with the governors of New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Delaware, Connecticut and Rhode Island will form a working group and will start designing a reopening plan, taking into consideration the public health and economic issues and concerns.

2:00 p.m. Cuomo is making an annoucement on a reopening plan.

12:20 p.m. On reopening the economy upstate before the New York City area, Cuomo said yes, he could see a distinction in places that have different caseloads. But he said calibrating that reopening plan is something he and other governors still need to think through.

12:08 p.m. Cuomo said the worst is over, but he emphasized the state needs to stay the course. "We are controlling the spread," Cuomo said. 

11:50 a.m. Cuomo said he will have an announcement this afternoon with other governors from nearby states on a coordinated reopening plan.

11:38 a.m. New York State now has over 10,000 deaths from the coronavirus at 10,056. 671 people passed away on Easter Sunday. 

11:30 a.m. Gov. Cuomo will give his daily briefing from Albany at 11:30 a.m. Watch live below (video player will appear once the briefing begins). 

6:15 a.m. Good morning. We’re expecting a couple updates later today from Gov. Andrew Cuomo and local elected officials. The governor’s daily briefing will likely be late this morning, while Onondaga County Executive Ryan McMahon’s briefing is scheduled for 3 p.m.

Here are some of the latest updates:

Sunday, April 12

3:00 p.m. Onondaga County Executive Ryan McMahon did not hold a daily briefing today. There will be a briefing tomorrow at 3 p.m. Here are the latest numbers for Onondaga County: 494 positive cases, up 13 from yesterday, 47 people are hospitalized, 23 in critical condition. Oneida County also did not hold a briefing today. They report 17 new cases in the last 24 hours, bringing the total there to 200. (Be sure to check the map above for the latest numbers from across the region).

11:46 a.m. Cuomo says he will sign an executive order mandating that employers supply masks to essential employees who directly interact with the public, cost free. He's also signing an order expanding who can perform antibody tests. Cuomo says the more people who can conduct the tests, the more that can be done each day. 

11:43 a.m. Cuomo says he wants to reopen as soon as possible, but we need to do it safely and we need to do it smart. "The last thing we want to see is an uptick in the infection rate." He says there needs to be widespread, faster testing and he's calling on the federal government to help states more. He says New York and other states were ignored by the CARES Act.

11:35 a.m. Gov. Cuomo says the number of daily hospitalizations continues to drop, which means the curve is flattening. "The apex isn't just an apex, it's a plateau, and we see the curve flattening at the top," Cuomo said. But the "terrible news," as Cuomo says is still high. 758 people in the state died in the last day. 9,385 people have died from COVID-19. 

11:20 a.m. Gov. Cuomo will give his daily briefing from Albany at 11:30 a.m. Watch live below (video player will appear once the briefing begins). 

9:12 a.m. Cuomo is at a nursing home outside Albany to announce the nursing home called to offer 35 of its ventilators to downstate hospitals. Cuomo arrived to bring the ventilators back to the home. "There has been a lot of pain, a lot of suffering. But also, when things are at their worst, sometimes people are at their best," Cuomo said. 

9:00 a.m. Watch Gov. Andrew Cuomo's announcement live: 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZgK5RzmkHKo

7:50 a.m. Starting today, Cayuga County is asking residents to voluntarily shelter in place for the next two weeks, and limit the number of trips to grocery stores and other public places. The move follows voluntary orders from Onondaga, Oswego, and Madison counties, which asks residents born in odd numbered years to go out for essential items on Monday, Wednesday and Friday, as well as Sunday April 12 and April 26. Those born in even numbered years would go out on Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday, and Sunday, April 19. 

"The shelter in place recommendations are a practical approach to reinforce social distancing. We want to diminish the numbers of people in essential public venues, like grocery stores, while not limiting access from what they need. This is also a mechanism to support the use of parks for recreation by household members and to provide some structure that reduces the number of people at the parks at any given day. We strongly encourage people to comply with this recommendation," Kathleen Cuddy, Cayuga County Public Health Director said in a statement. 

7:30 a.m. Good morning. Gov. Andrew Cuomo will make an announcement at 9 a.m. We'll post live video here once it begins. In the meantime, here are a few of yesterday's top stories. 

We'll have more updates through the day. Stay tuned. 
Saturday, April 11

3:02 p.m. Onondaga County Executive Ryan McMahon says there are now 481 positive cases of COVID-19 in the county, 25 more than yesterday. McMahon announced the county's ninth death. A woman in her 70s with underlying health conditions. 47 are hospitalized, 23 in critical condition. 197 people have recovered and have been released from mandatory isolation.

2:55 p.m. Onondaga County Executive Ryan McMahon will hold a briefing at 3 p.m. Watch live below. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sD0zX39PyZY

2:30 p.m. Oneida County Executive Anthony Picente will not hold a briefing today. His office reported today that there were 14 new cases of COVID-19 in the last day, bringing the total number of cases there to 183.

11:37 a.m. Cuomo says "We believe we have stabilized the situation in upstate and in the suburbs." He says 783 people died on Thursday. 8,627 people have died during the pandemic. 

11:35 a.m. Gov. Cuomo says the curve of the increase is continuing to flatten. He says we've hit the apex, but here the apex is a plateau. The hospitalization rate is down. People are still being hospitalized, but it's fewer people each day. 

11:25 a.m. Gov. Andrew Cuomo will hold his daily briefing at 11:30 a.m. Watch live below (Live video will appear once the briefing begins). 

7:00 a.m. Good morning. We'll have live video of Gov. Cuomo's briefing later today, and of Onondaga and Oneida counties' briefings, both scheduled for 3 p.m. In the meantime, here are a few top stories from yesterday. 

  • There are 456 cases of COVID-19 in Onondaga County, and the county announced its eighth death from the disease. All eight who have died had underlying health conditions. 
  • More than 170,000 people in New York have tested positive, and more than 8,000 have died. Despite those grim numbers, Gov. Cuomo continues to say that it looks as if the curve is flattening.The rate of daily hospitalizations and ICU admissions continues to drop.
  • With elective surgeries canceled across the state, hospitals are losing a lot of money. That means many are furloughing workers. Oswego Health said this week it would furlough 300 workers. Cayuga Medical Group in Ithaca is also placing some workers on leave. Claxton-Hepburn Medical Center in the North Country is placing 8% of its workforce on leave. And St. Joseph's Health in Syracuse plans to furlough 500 of its workers. 

We'll have more updates throughout the day. 
Friday, April 10

3:03 p.m. Onondaga County Executive Ryan McMahon says there are now 456 positive cases of COVID-19 in the county, 14 more than yesterday. 49 are hospitalized, 25 in critical condition. 176 people have recovered and have been released from mandatory isolation.

Breakdown of cases, by age:

  • Under 19: 12
  • 20s: 98
  • 30s: 66
  • 40s: 66
  • 50s: 85
  • 60s: 65
  • 70s: 40
  • 80s: 19
  • 90s: 5

2:55 p.m. Onondaga County Executive Ryan McMahon will give his daily briefing at 3 p.m. Watch live:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EHOErLJ1VT0

12:12 p.m. Seneca County is reporting its first death from COVID-19. Health officials say a man his late-60s who was hospitalized has died. Seneca County has 13 total cases of COVID-19. 

12:05 p.m. Onondaga County officials say an eighth person has died of COVID-19. In a statement, officials said the person was a white male in his late-60s with underlying health conditions who had been hospitalized. This is the seventh death from COVID-19 in the county in the last nine days. 

11:58 a.m. Cuomo says many countries in Europe in Asia are going through a second wave of infections, because "they let their guard down." "These are uncharted waters. We are in total control of our destiny. What we do will affect life and death for hundreds of people," Cuomo said. 

11:53 a.m. Cuomo calls on the federal government to utilize the Defense Production Act to produce large scale tests. He said New York, New Jersey and Connecticut would join to form a partnership with the federal government to enact large scale testing. 

11:46 a.m. Cuomo says now that the numbers look better, the next question is 'When do we reopen?' "The key to reopening is going to be testing. It's not going to be like a light switch. It's going to be a gradual, phased process and it's going to be reliant on testing." He says the state will be able to produce 2,000 tests a day by April 24. "That's great, but it's still a drop in the bucket. It's not enough if you want to reopen on a meaningful scale."

11:39 a.m. Cuomo says there are still some hotspots in some New York City suburbs, but overall, new York is flattening the curve. He says the models projected a range of 55,000 hospital beds to 136,000. The state has used about 18,500 beds. "The actual number is much, much lower than the projections." He says while this is good news, people must still continue social distancing to continue to beat the projections. "What were are doing, we have to stay with it. Even though it is a grind, we have to stay with it."

11:37 a.m. Gov. Cuomo says the he is "cautiously optimistic" that the state is getting the infection under control. The three-day average of ICU admissions continues to drop. He says 777 people died on Thursday. 7,844 New Yorkers have died as a result of COVID-19. 

11:20 a.m. Gov. Andrew Cuomo will give his daily briefing at 11:30 a.m. Watch live below (live video will appear a few minutes before the briefing begins).

6:20 a.m. Good morning. We'll have live video of Gov. Cuomo's briefing later today, and of Onondaga and Oneida counties' briefings, both scheduled for 3 p.m. In the meantime, here are a few top stories. 

We'll have more updates through the day. Stay tuned. 
Thursday, April 9

3:08 p.m. Oneida County Executive Anthony Picente is giving his daily briefing. Watch live: 

3:03 p.m. Onondaga County Executive Ryan McMahon says there are now 442 positive cases of COVID-19 in the county, 20 more than yesterday. 43 are hospitalized, 23 in critical condition. 154 people have recovered and have been released from mandatory isolation.

Breakdown of cases, by age:

  • Under 19: 12
  • 20s: 95
  • 30s: 64
  • 40s: 65
  • 50s: 83
  • 60s: 63
  • 70s: 37
  • 80s: 19
  • 90s: 4

2:18 p.m. Onondaga County officials say a seventh county resident has died from complications due to COVID-19. According to a news release, the person was a white male in his late-50s with underlying health conditions and was hospitalized. This is the six death in the last eight days in the county. County Executive Ryan McMahon will have more during his daily briefing at 3 p.m.  Watch live: 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_Z5EQ5hZN5k

1:28 p.m. Earlier this week, when Onondaga County Executive Ryan McMahon announced he was ordering public and private golf courses in the county closed, he said he didn't have the authority to close state-run golf courses so they were not included in his order. The state has taken care of that, and has declared all golf courses nonessential, meaning they will be closed until at least April 29. 

12:01 p.m. Cuomo says the state is still working on improving the system to apply for unemployment benefits. More than 600,000 claims have been filed since March 9, and more than 300,000 have been processed. Secretary to the Governor Melissa DeRosa said the unemployment website will go down from 5-7 p.m. today for an upgrade. The new form will be simpler to fill out, and if any field is left blank, you won't be required to call, a labor representative will call you back. Anyone who has had difficulty filing will have their benefits retroactive to when they lost their job. 

11:55 a.m. Cuomo continues to ask people to stay home, because it will save lives. "The moment we stop following these policies, you will see these numbers [hospitalizations] shoot through the roof. "If you don't want to stay at home, stay at home for someone you love."

11:50 a.m. Cuomo says the state is working on a rapid test. "We can't go from red to green. We have to go from red to yellow." He says that is how we allow people to get back to work, with widespread rapid testing. But he warns that this is just one battle in a a larger war. "The 1918 Spanish Flu outbreak came in three waves. We're on the first wave of this," he said. 

11:45 a.m. For the third straight day, the number of deaths in New York from COVID-19 is at an high. 799 people have died in the last 24 hours. Cuomo says the state has to bring in additional funeral directors to deal with the dead. 7,067 people have died so far. 

11:40 a.m. Cuomo is going over projections from different models, which ranged from a high of 136,000 hospitalizations, 110,000, 73,000, and 55,000. Right now the state's capacity is about 90,000 beds, but the state is at about 18,000 hospitalizations now, if the curve is starting to flatten. He says the numbers show that the curve has been flattened SO FAR, because of the actions the state has taken and social distancing done. But Cuomo says "if we stop acting the way we are, the numbers will go back up." Hospitalizations and ICU admissions are going down. 

11:25 a.m. Gov. Andrew Cuomo will give his daily briefing at 11:30 a.m. Watch live below (live video will appear once the briefing begins).

8:15 a.m. 22 nurses from Upstate University Hospital are off to Long Island to help with COVID-19 patients there. They got a police escort as they left Syracuse. 

7:45 a.m. Good morning. We'll have live video of Gov. Cuomo's briefing later today, and of Onondaga and Oneida counties' briefings, both scheduled for 3 p.m. In the meantime, here are a few top stories. 

We'll have more updates through the day. Stay tuned. 
Wednesday, April 8

7:10 p.m. Cayuga County has reported its first death due to the coronavirus. Officials say a man in his 40s with underlying chronic health conditions had passed away from COVID-19. He had been hospitalized since April 1. Watch the full announcement from Cayuga County officials below. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hSfj_eb0bKw&feature=youtu.be

6:10 p.m. Oswego County officials are asking residents to follow Onondaga County's lead and alternate days they go out to try to increase social distancing and starve the coronavirus. Onondaga County put a voluntary shelter in place order yesterday that allows people born in odd-numbered years to go out for essentials on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays, and people born in even-numbered years to go out on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays. The order goes into effect Saturday. See the full message from Oswego County Legislature Chairman James Weatherup. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dt58IjWUA8k&feature=youtu.be

3:10 p.m. Onondaga County Executive Ryan McMahon says there are now 422 positive cases of COVID-19 in the county, 13 more than yesterday. 41 are hospitalized, 22 in critical condition. 141 people have recovered and have been released from mandatory isolation.

Breakdown of cases, by age:

  • Under 19:  12
  • 20s: 91
  • 30s: 61
  • 40s: 61
  • 50s: 80
  • 60s: 61
  • 70s: 35
  • 80s: 17
  • 90s: 4

3:04 p.m. Upstate University Hospital CEO Dr. Robert Corona says 22 nurses from Upstate will leave tomorrow and go to Long Island to help at Stony Brook University Hospital. 

3:01 p.m. Oneida County Executive Anthony Picente is giving his daily briefing. Watch live: 

3:00 p.m. Onondaga County Executive Ryan McMahon is giving his daily briefing. Watch live:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=co_p81W4VNw

2:45 p.m. A bit of clarification from an earlier post. During Gov. Cuomo's briefing today, he said the state would give those on unemployment $600 on top of their existing benefits, and the federal government would reimburse the state for the money. After the briefing, it was explained that this is not an extra $600. The state is paying for the first $600 payment coming from the federal government as part of the CARES Act. The feds will then reimburse the state for that first payment. 

2:30 p.m. Syracuse University announced today it will hold it's 2020 commencement this fall, once the Carrier Dome roof replacement is finished, and once large gatherings are again deemed safe. Chancellor Kent Syverud said today he would provide more information on the fall commencement by June 1. Meanwhile, Onondaga Community College said it would hold its commencement August 9 at 2 p.m. The college will build an outdoor stage and allow families to bring chairs and blankets. If social distancing remains an issue then, the college will later its plans. 

1:00 p.m. After being asked about when schools and businesses might open, Cuomo says "We're not through it. We're in the midst of it. There WILL be more cases upstate. There WILL be more cases on Long Island. We are by no means out of the woods."

12:47 p.m. Cuomo says everyone on unemployment will get an additional $600 payment, on top of their state and federal benefits. The federal government will reimburse the state for the cost. He also says he's issuing an executive order allowing everyone to vote absentee in the June 23rd primary. 

12:42 p.m. Cuomo says he is ordering flags to half-staff in New York to remember the 6,268 people who have died in New York so far. He says "People ask when things will return to normal? I don't think things will return to normal. I think there will be a new normal."

12:38 p.m. Cuomo says with good news, there is "terrible news." 779 people in New York died yesterday, the highest single day death toll so far. "The number of deaths will continue to rise, as the number of people on ventilators pass away. The longer someone is on a ventilator, the less the chance of survival."

12:35 p.m. Gov. Cuomo says there is good news today. He says social distancing is working and flattened the curve SO FAR. But he says "this is not a time to get complacent, this is not a time to change what we're doing. We have to remain disciplined going forward."

12:05 p.m. St. Lawrence County has its first death due to the coronavirus. Claxton-Hepburn Medical Center announced today that a St. Lawrence County woman in her 70s died from complications associated with COVID-19. The county was one of the last to report a positive case, but has seen an alarming spike in cases. yesterday, the county reported 70 positive cases, and the president of the St. Lawrence County Board of Health said Monday the county has the highest rate of increasing cases in the state, surpassing New York City. 

11:30 a.m. Gov. Andrew Cuomo's daily briefing has been delayed until 12:30 p.m. Watch live below once it begins (live video will appear a few minutes before the briefing begins). 

6:45 a.m. Good morning. We'll have live video of Gov. Cuomo's briefing later today, and of Onondaga and Oneida counties' briefings, both scheduled for 3 p.m. In the meantime, here are a few top stories. 

  • "Don't visit family": Onondaga County Executive Ryan McMahon said yesterday that people should not go out and visit family this Easter Sunday. “We need to stay home,” McMahon said. “We need to use technology, whether it’s the phone, Skype, Zoom, FaceTime. We do not need to put mom and dad at risk, because we are getting families together.”
  • On Friday, Gov. Cuomo said he would issue an executive order allowing the state to take ventilators and other equipmentand redeploy them to areas where they are more needed, like downstate. The announcement drew immediate criticism from several upstate lawmakers. Cuomo has since walked that back a bit, and in his order signed yesterday, the redeployment would be more voluntary. 
  • Despite the pandemic, it's still a census year, but the lack of college students at campuses around the statecould mean that some college towns risk losing population, and federal funding.

We'll have more updates through the day. Stay tuned. 
Tuesday, April 7

3:33 p.m. Cayuga County says it will close all playgrounds, athletic courts and sporting fields, as of tomorrow. "Due to the number of confirmed gatherings at local athletic courts and parks, I am compelled to make this decision to ensure the safety and health of all citizens of Cayuga County," said Aileen McNabb-Coleman, Chair of the Cayuga County Legislature, in a statement. "When people do not comply with social distancing, they present a serious health risk to others as this virus can impact any age group, regardless of health conditions."

3:02 p.m. Onondaga County Executive Ryan McMahon says there are now 397 cases of COVID-19 in the county, up 20 from yesterday. McMahon says a woman in her 70s has passed away from the disease, the sixth death in the county. 38 people are hospitalized, up nine from yesterday. 20 are in critical condition. 155 people have recovered. 

Breakdown of cases, by age:

  • Teens: 12
  • 20s: 86
  • 30s: 61
  • 40s: 54
  • 50s: 75
  • 60s: 61
  • 70s: 32
  • 80s: 13
  • 90s: 3

3:00 p.m. Oneida County Executive is giving his daily briefing. Watch live: 

2:55 p.m. Onondaga County Executive Ryan McMahon will give his daily briefing at 3 p.m. Watch live: 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wea8VapCrJw

2:00 p.m. The New York State Education Department has released new guidelines for graduation this year in light of school closures due to COVID-19. Yesterday, the state Board of Regents announced all Regents exams for June have been canceled. Regents exams are a requirement for graduation. This year, the requirements will be modified. 

Students who, during the June 2020 examination period would have taken one or more Regents examinations, will be exempted from passing the assessments in order to be issued a diploma.  To qualify for the exemption, students must meet one of the following eligibility requirements:

  • The student is currently enrolled in a course of study culminating in a Regents examination and will have earned credit in such course of study by the end of the 2019-20 school year; or
  • The student is in grade 7, is enrolled in a course of study culminating in a Regents examination and will have passed such course of study by the end of the 2019-20 school year; or
  • The student is currently enrolled in a course of study culminating in a Regents examination and has failed to earn credit by the end of the school year. Such student returns for summer instruction to make up the failed course and earn the course credit and is subsequently granted diploma credit in August 2020; or
  • The student was previously enrolled in the course of study leading to an applicable Regents examination, has achieved course credit, and has not yet passed the associated Regents examination but intended to take the test in June 2020 to achieve a passing score.

1:00 p.m. Madison County is asking residents to shelter in place voluntarily and alternate the days they go out for essential items, following Onondaga County's plan that goes into effect today. Officials ask residents born in even-numbered years to go out on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays and those born in odd-numbered years to go out on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. "For weeks we have been saying stay home to stop the spread of COVID-19," said Madison County Board of Supervisors Chairman John Becker in a statement. "We thank our residents for doing their part, but we have noticed that people are becoming comfortable. They are no longer staying home. There are more and more people going to public places like stores. We cannot become complacent. You should only be going out for necessary shopping. If you do go shopping, don’t make this a family event, shop solo. With this new effort, we hope to limit even further the number of people out in our community."

11:55 a.m. Oswego County health officials say two county residents have died of COVID-19. The two were hospitalized in a neighboring county. Health officials did not release any other information. "While we have anticipated and prepared for the spread of coronavirus to our county, the deaths are an unfortunate development in our efforts to fight this disease, and something that we never wanted to see," said Oswego County Legislature Chairman James Weatherup in a statement. 

11:15 a.m. Cuomo says we need a plan for restarting life, likely will be a regional approach. "The way we restart life is with widespread testing," he said. Cuomo says the state Department of Health has approved antibody testing in the state, and they're working with the FDA to being it to scale. 

11:05 a.m. New numbers from Gov. Cuomo: 138,836 confirmed cases of COVID-19, 5,489 people have died. "We are projecting we are near the plateau," Cuomo says. 

10:55 a.m. Gov. Andrew Cuomo will hold his daily briefing at 11 a.m. Watch Live: 

9:45 a.m. The Hospital Association of New York State (HANYS), a group that represents public hospitals, nursing homes and other healthcare organizations, said today it has worked out an agreement with Gov. Cuomo on the distribution of ventilators and other supplies to more needed areas. Cuomo said he would issue an executive order allowing the state to take 20% of a facility's unused ventilators and supplies and redistribute them to other facilities that need them more. The move drew heavy criticism from upstate lawmakers, saying many facilities don't have extra ventilators or supplies. Now, HANYS says it has "coordinated a voluntary effort to redeploy available ventilators to regions where they are needed. Hospitals in regions with limited COVID-19 cases at this time are identifying ventilators, continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) and bi-level positive airway pressure (BiPAP) machines they could rapidly redeploy if called upon. The identified equipment will remain in place until redeployment is needed. If redeployment occurs, HANYS will work with providers to rapidly geo-code and transport equipment. The sending hospital will be notified of the location of its ventilators when they reach their destination to facilitate a smooth return."

6:30 a.m. Good morning. We'll have live video of Gov. Andrew Cuomo's briefing later today, as well as briefings from Onondaga and Oneida counties, both scheduled for 3 p.m. In the meantime, here are a few top stories. 

  • Gov. Andrew Cuomo has extended the closure of schools and nonessential businessesin the state until at least April 29, cases of the coronavirus continue to increase. Cuomo said yesterday he's hopeful that data is starting to show the number of deaths and hospitalizations leveling off, suggesting the state could be at or near the apex, but he says it's still too soon to know for sure. Cuomo is also increasing the fines for people not following social distancing rules to up to $1,000, and he wants local governments to step up enforcement. 
  • Onondaga County's positive cases are up to 377. Starting today, a voluntary shelter-in-place order goes into effect until April 21. County Executive Ryan McMahon is asking people to go out for essential items and use county parks on alternating days based on your birth year. He says is enough people participate, it could get the county to 50% social distancing. 

We'll have more updates throughout the day. Stay tuned. 
Monday, April 6

3:12 p.m. McMahon says the county's "grade" on social distancing is getting worse. "Our data shows that two weeks ago, we were getting a 'B" and now we're at a 'C-." he said. McMahon says his shelter in place order cannot be mandatory because he doesn't have the authority to order a mandatory shelter in place. He said the voluntary shelter in place does not mean people have to stay locked in their homes. He says if people went out on alternate days, the county's social distancing score would improve. "We believe if we can do this, and modify our behavior for two weeks, we'll get ourselves to that 50% social distancing. That will help us, when we're identifying positive cases through testing, we're quarantining and then we're starving out the virus. We can't do this alone, we need your help. So please do this on a voluntary basis."

3:03 p.m. Onondaga County Executive Ryan McMahon says there are now 377 positive cases of COVID-19 in the county, 13 more than yesterday. 29 are hospitalized, 17 in critical condition. 115 people have recovered and have been released from mandatory isolation.

Breakdown of cases, by age:

  • Teens: 11
  • 20s: 83
  • 30s: 59
  • 40s: 53
  • 50s: 72
  • 60s: 54
  • 70s: 30
  • 80s: 13
  • 90s: 2

3:02 p.m. Oneida County Executive Anthony Picente is giving his daily briefing. Watch live: 

2:55 p.m. Onondaga County Executive Ryan McMahon will hold his daily briefing at 3 p.m. Watch live: 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ig3TrOME7eA

2:20 p.m. The Onondaga County Sheriff's Department is sending some thanks to healthcare workers across the county, for the work they're doing on the front lines of the coronavirus pandemic. Two patrol cars have been covered in messages for healthcare workers written from members of the sheriff's department. The cars will be parked outside Syracuse hospitals this week. 

Credit Onondaga County Sheriff's Department

1:30 p.m. In addition to schools and nonessential businesses being closed until at least April 29, the state Board of Regents said today it was canceling all Regents exams scheduled for this June. Regents exams are required for students to graduate. It's unclear how the cancellation of exams will affect graduation.  More details are expected to be released tomorrow. 

12:23 p.m. Cuomo says people are still not following social distancing protocols, especially in New York City. "Now is not the time to be lax. It is a mistake," he said. "We all have a role in this. We have to respect the role we play, because the role we play is a societal obligation. I want local governments to enforce social distancing rules. I want to be more aggressive on the enforcement, because people are violating it more than before." Cuomo will increase the fine for violating the social distancing protocol from $500 to $1,000.

12:20 p.m. Cuomo says he is extending "New York Pause." All schools and nonessential businesses in the state will remain closed until at least April 29. "I know that's a negative for many many reasons. But I'm not going to choose between public health and economic activity," he said.

12:17 p.m. Cuomo said he plans to call President Trump this afternoon to request the Navy ship USNS Comfort, which currently does not see patients with COVID-19, to allow those with COVID-19 to be treated on the ship. "We don't need the Comfort for non-COVID cases," Cuomo said. 

12:12 p.m. Gov. Cuomo has been saying for the last few weeks, that the state will likely need 110,000 hospital beds to treat those with COVID-19. His staff now says projections are coming in less than that, potentially because of the effect of social distancing. Jim Malatras, assistant to the governor, says "The data suggests we are potentially at the apex or at the beginning of the apex at this moment." Cuomo says there still isn't enough data yet to tell if that is indeed the case, but they are hopeful. 

12:10 p.m. New numbers from Gov. Cuomo: 130,689 people in New York have tested positive for COVID-19. 16,837 people are currently hospitalized, 4,504 in ICU. 4,758 have died.  Cuomo says the number of deaths and hospitalizations has stayed level the last few days. "None of this is good news, but this possible flattening of the curve is better than the increases we've been seeing," he said. 

11:30 a.m. Gov. Andrew Cuomo will hold his daily briefing at noon. Watch live below (Video player will appear once the briefing begins). 

9:15 a.m. A new poll out this morning from Siena College show just how much the coronavirus is affecting daily life in New York. 87% of the people polled said that the virus was having a somewhat or very significant impact on their daily lives. 95% of respondents said they are either quarantined or practicing social distancing. 4% said they were going about life as usual. See more details on the poll here.

6:00 a.m. Good morning. As usual, we'll have live video of Gov. Cuomo's briefing later today and Onondaga County's briefing at 3 p.m. In the meantime, here are a few top stories:

  • Onondaga County Executive Ryan McMahon is asking county residents to voluntarily shelter in place for two weeks, starting tomorrow and lasting through April 21. He also ordered public and private golf courses in the county closed starting this evening. The number of cases of COVID-19 in the county is up to 364, with five deaths. 
  • 'Glimmer of hope': Gov. Cuomo said yesterday that the number of new deaths and hospitalizations dropped from the previous day. He said it's too early to tell if this is significant, or just "a blip." The number of positive cases in the state is over 122,000 with more than 4,000 deaths. 
  • Upstate Medical University in Syracuse is part of a nationwide emergency clinical trial that would use the blood plasma from people who have recovered from COVID-19 in people who are still sick with the disease. The idea is that people who have recovered have developed antibodies against COVID-19, which could help treat people who are sick. 

We'll have more updates throughout the day. Stay tuned. 
Sunday, April 5

6:00 p.m. Tompkins County health officials say an employee at the Wegmans in Ithaca has tested positive for the coronavirus. They are asking anyone who visited the coffee shop at the Wegmans store on S. Meadow St. in Ithaca between Monday, March 23 and Saturday, April 4 to do the following:

  • Get tested at the Cayuga Health testing site located in the parking lot of the The Shops at Ithaca Mall. Call 607-319-5708 to pre-register. 
  • Self-quarantine for 14 days from the last date you shopped at the Wegmans coffee shop.
  • Monitor for symptoms of COVID-19, including fever, cough and shortness of breath. 

3:15 p.m. McMahon is asking county residents to shelter in place for the next two weeks. This is a voluntary order. He said people born in an even year can go out and get essential items and take walks on Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday. People born in an odd year can go out on Monday, Wednesday and Friday. Sundays will alternate. "This is a voluntary process, but it's a necessary one" McMahon said. "If we want to get back to normal, get back to work, get back to school, we need to flatten the curve. And this will help with that. And I need your help." 

3:10 p.m. McMahon says he is ordering all public and private golf courses in the county closed due to COVID-19. State-run golf courses are not included in this order. " We need your buy-in and your sacrifice right now," McMahon said.

3:02 p.m. Onondaga County Executive Ryan McMahon says there are now 364 cases of COVID-19 in the county, and the county has announced its fifth. A man in his 60s with underlying health issues. 28 people are hospitalized, 17 are in critical condition. "These are individuals are in a fight, and we need to pray for them," McMahon said. 113 people have recovered and been released from mandatory isolation. 

Breakdown of cases, by age:

  • Teens: 11
  • 20s: 79
  • 30s: 57
  • 40s: 53
  • 50s: 67
  • 60s: 53
  • 70s: 29
  • 80s: 13
  • 90s: 2

2:55 p.m. Onondaga County Executive Ryan McMahon will hold a briefing at 3 p.m. Watch live: 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d0WE25Egnig

11:55 a.m. Onondaga County health officials say there has been a potential expsure of the coronavirus at several locations around the county, due to employees at businesses who have tested positive. People who were at the following businesses at the times listed should watch for possible symptoms, including fever, cough and/or shortness of breath. 

Walgreens at 4001 S. Salina Street, Syracuse, NY 13205 on the following days:

  • 3/27/2020 7:50 AM-4:40 PM
  • 3/28/2020 7:30 AM – 5:45 PM
  • 3/30/2020 7:50 AM – 5:10 PM
  • 3/31/2020 1:05 PM – 9:15 PM

Walgreens at 4751 Onondaga Boulevard, Syracuse, NY 13219 on the following days:

  • 3/27/2020 1:00 PM-9:00 PM
  • 3/28/2020 1:00 PM -9:00 PM
  • 3/30/2020 1:00 PM-8:00 PM
  • 3/31/2020 1:00 PM -3:00 PM

Kinney Drugs at 437 Electronics Parkway, Liverpool, NY 13088 on the following days:

  • 3/27/2020 7:00 AM-3:00 PM
  • 3/29/2020 5:00 AM-11:00 AM

Hallinan’s Wine and Liquor at 3504 W Genesee Street #2027, Syracuse, NY 13219 on the following days:

  • 3/30/2020 9:00 AM-5:00 PM
  • 3/31/2020 9:00 AM-5:00 PM

Onondaga County Health Commissioner Dr. Indu Gupta explained that, “We are in the process of identifying all close contacts of these individuals and notifying them. Anyone who visited these businesses during the identified time periods should monitor themselves for symptoms of COVID-19 such as fever, cough, and/or difficulty breathing for 14 days after they visited the store. If symptoms do develop, stay home and call your doctor for further guidance about testing. If you are elderly, have underlying medical conditions, or are immunocompromised, call your doctor early even if your illness is mild. In an emergency call 911.”
11:38 a.m. Cuomo says the state has not taken any ventilators from other areas of the state. "I just want to know where they are, in case we need them," he said. He said the state only wants 20% of a facility's unused ventilators, which he estimates at 500 statewide. 

11:36 a.m. Cuomo says the executive order he will sign allowing the state to redeploy ventilators and supplies to where they are more needed has not been released yet because he needs to add to it, and extend a few policies. But he said no one area of the state can handle the pandemic alone. "As long as I'm governor of the state, we won't lose a life if we can prevent it. We're not going to lose a life because we didn't share resources among ourselves," he said. 

11:25 a.m. Cuomo has said this before, but he believes things will return to normal once there is a widespread, approved, rapid testing program that can be brought to scale. "And we are testing this right now," Cuomo said. 

11:16 a.m. Cuomo says the state's healthcare facilities over overburdened and over capacity. He says all hospitals in the state should switch to a surge and flex system. He says if one hospital becomes overwhelmed, the patient load should go to another hospital. He also says hospitals should share supplies, says there should be a national deployment of resources. "There's not enough in the federal stockpile to supply New York and California and Illinois," he said. He says states should shift their resources to New York and then the state gets past the curve, New York will send resources to other states.   

11:15 a.m. Cuomo says the number of people hospitalized in the last day has dropped. He says based on the data, New York may be at the apex, or near the apex, or at a plateau, but we won't know for sure for another few days. 

11:10 a.m. New numbers from Gov. Cuomo: 122,031 positive cases of COVID-19 in New York, 16, 479 people currently hospitalized, 4,376 people in ICU. 4,159 people have died. 

10:50 a.m. Gov. Andrew Cuomo will give his daily briefing at 11 a.m. Watch live (video will appear below once the briefing begins).

7:00 a.m. Good morning. We'll have video of Gov. Andrew Cuomo's daily briefing here once it begins later today. We'll also have live video of Onondaga County Executive Ryan McMahon's daily briefing at 3 p.m. In the meantime, here are a few of yesterday's top stories. 

  • President Trump offered a grim assessment of the next few weeks, saying "one of the toughest weeks is ahead" and "there's going to be a lot of death, unfortunately." The number of deaths from COVID-19 in the U.S. has been doubling about every three days. More than 8,500 have died over the last 5 weeks. But Trump also argued that the country should be re-opened soon. "At a certain point, some hard decisions are going to have to be made," he said.
  • The number of cases of COVID-19 in New York continues to rise rapidly. More than 113,000 have tested positive and more than 3,500 have died in the state, most in New York City. Meanwhile, Gov. Cuomo said he had secured more than 1,100 ventilators from China and the state of Oregon.  
  • Onondaga County reported its fourth death due to COVID-19. A man in his late-80s with underlying health conditions died after contracting the disease. As of yesterday, there were 349 positive cases in the county. Check the map above for positive cases around the region. 

Keep checking back, as we'll have more updates throughout the day. 
Saturday, April 4

7:15 p.m. Some hopeful news this evening. State Sen. James Seward, who had been in a medically induced coma and on a ventilator after testing positive for COVID-19, was been taken off the ventilator this evening. Seward, who represents parts of central New York and the Mohawk Valley, south through the Catskills, has been going through treatments for cancer. 

3:40 p.m. Oneida County Executive Anthony Picente is giving his daily briefing. Watch live: 

3:02 p.m. Earlier today, Onondaga County officials announced the fourth death in the county, a man in his late-80s who had underlying medical conditions. In addition, there are now 349 cases of COVID-19, 29 people are hospitalized, 14 are in critical condition. As of today, there are more than 100 people who have recovered and have been released from mandatory isolation. 55% of cases are in people under the age of 50. 

Breakdown of cases, by age:

  • Teens: 10
  • 20s: 76
  • 30s: 55
  • 40s: 52
  • 50s: 62
  • 60s: 51
  • 70s: 28
  • 80s: 13
  • 90s: 2

2:55 p..m. Onondaga County Executive Ryan McMahon will give his daily briefing at 3 p.m. Watch live: 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=th8fIBNBXAs

11:17 a.m. Cuomo says the state is asking hospitals and medical facilities to give up 20% of their unused stock of ventilators. He says that equals about 500 ventilators. "500 ventilators is a significant number right now," he said. China is also sending 1,000 ventilators to New York, that will arrive today. And Cuomo says the state of Oregon is sending 140 ventilators to New York. Cuomo calls it "a very kind gesture." He says Oregon isn't expected to see an apex of cases until mid-May. "Their curve is later than ours. We will return their 140 ventilators and we will return it double. Stop the fire in New York. Kind, generous, smart," Cuomo said. 

11:08 a.m. Cuomo says he will sign an executive order allowing medical students who will graduate to begin practicing medicine now. "We need doctors," he said.

11:06 a.m. Cuomo says one bit of good news is that two-thirds of people hospitalized with COVID-19 are discharged. He says one area of concern for him is Long Island. A bigger percentage of people being hospitalized is taking place on Long Island. 

11:02 a.m. New numbers from Gov. Cuomo: 113,704 people in New York is up to 113, 704. 15,905 people are currently hospitalized, 4,126 are in ICU. 3,565 people have died in New York as a result of COVID-19. 

10:55 a.m. Gov. Andrew Cuomo will give his daily briefing at 11 a.m. Watch live below (Live video will appear once the briefing begins). 

8:00 a.m. There's not much to do these days, since just about everything is closed, but one thing you can do is get outside and take a walk. The city of Syracuse is taking some steps to allow people to get outside and maintain social distancing. The city has started a "Weekend Walks in the Parks" program. The city will close roads at four city parks starting today to allow people more room to walk. Roads at Upper Onondaga Park, Thornden Park, Lincoln Park, and Burnet Park from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturdays and Sundays. More information can be found here.

7:00 a.m. Good morning. Gov. Andrew Cuomo will hold a briefing later today, as will Onondaga County Executive Ryan McMahon and Oneida County Executive Anthony Picente. We'll post live video feeds of their briefings when they become available. Meanwhile, here are a few top stories from yesterday. 

  • The number of people in the state with the coronavirus is over 100,000 and the number of deaths is not over 3,000. Gov. Cuomo issued an executive order yesterday allowing the state to take ventilators and personal protective equipment (PPE) from upstate hospitals and distribute them downstate where they are needed. The order drew heavy criticism from upstate lawmakers and officials. 
  • The CDC is now recommending that people consider wearing a cloth or fabric face maskwhen going out in public, especially to places where there are other people, like grocery stores. President Trump downplayed the recommendation yesterday, saying it is voluntary and that he will not be doing so. 

We'll post updates throughout the day. Be sure to check the map above for the latest number of positive cases around the region. 
Friday, April 3

3:15 p.m. McMahon says he has not heard from the governor's office yet that they need ventilators or PPE, but said the state didn't have much equipment to spare. "I need to see the governor's executive order. We don't have surplus, we definitely don't have a surplus of PPE."

3:07 p.m. Picente said he and a number of other elected officials are "concerned" about Gov. Cuomo's executive order allowing the state to take ventilators and other supplies to areas that need it more. 

Picente says there is another COVID-19 related death in the county. It's the second death in the county related to the disease. He says the number of positive cases in the county is up to 79, 11 more than yesterday. 

3:05 p.m. Oneida County Executive Anthony Picente is giving his daily briefing. Watch below:

3:03 p.m. Onondaga County Executive Ryan McMahon says there are now 322 positive cases of COVID-19, up 21 since yesterday. 26 people are hospitalized, 15 are in critical condition. 56% of cases involve people under the age of 50.

Breakdown of cases, by age:

  • Teens: 10
  • 20s: 67
  • 30s: 53
  • 40s: 49
  • 50s: 58
  • 60s: 47
  • 70s: 24
  • 80s: 12
  • 90s: 2

2:55 p.m. Watch Onondaga County Executive Ryan McMahon's daily briefing here:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1gb5-m1rOso

2:45 p.m. We have a number of briefings coming up in the next hour. Onondaga County Executive Ryan McMahon will brief at 3 p.m., Oneida County Executive Anthony Picente will also brief at 3, and Oswego County officials will hold a news conference at 3:30 p.m. We'll have live video here, if available. 

12:50 p.m. Centro says it is cutting routes across its services area as a result of the coronavirus. The following services will be stopped, starting Monday:

Starting Monday, April 13, Centro will shift all Onondaga County routes, including the city of Syracuse to the following:

Monday-Saturday: Saturday schedule

Sunday: Sunday schedule

Centro's Call-A-Bus and Senior Shopper bus services will remain unchanged.

11:41 a.m. Cuomo says the U.S. Navy doesn't want to have patients with COVID-19 on the USNS Comfort because of the difficulty disinfecting the ship. The New York Times reported that there are only about 20 patients on board the ship. 

11:35 a.m. Cuomo says they will contact upstate hospitals to see what their supplies of ventilators and PPE look like, and they won't just take all supplies. "We're not going to take everything. But if you have a five month supply of masks, you don't need a five month supply right now. Keep one month supply, give me a four month supply and you'll be reimbursed." When asked if he's worried about being sued by hospitals for taking equipment and supplies, Cuomo says "If they want to sue me for saving lives, let them."

11:30 a.m. State Health Commissioner Dr. Howard Zucker says New Yorkers shouldn't need to wear face masks in public, unless they're sick. He said there isn't data to suggest wearing a medical grade mask for people who are not sick, but says "We continue to look at the data all the time and we're examining that."

11:15 a.m. Cuomo says he is signing an executive order allowing the state to take ventilators and PPE from institutions that don't need them now, and redeploy them to areas that do. Cuomo said that institution will either get their ventilators back or will be reimbursed for the cost. "I apoligize for the hardship those institutions. But I'm not going to let people die because there aren't enough ventilators," Cuomo said. He said the National Guard is being deployed to pick up equipment.

11:09 a.m. Cuomo is pleading with companies to make personal protective equipment (PPE), like masks, gowns and face shields. "It's unbelieveable to me that in the United States of America we can't make these materials," Cuomo said. "It can't be that companies in this state and country can't transition to make these materials." 

11:06 a.m. Gov. Cuomo starts his briefing with some sobering numbers. New York now has more than 100,000 cases of COVID-19. 102,863 people in the state have the disease. 14,810 people are currently hospitalized, 3,731 in ICU. 2,935 people have died. 

10:45 a.m. Gov. Andrew Cuomo will give his daily briefing at 11 a.m. Watch live here (live video will appear once the briefing begins).

7:00 a.m. Good morning. We'll post live video of Gov. Cuomo's briefing when it starts later today. We'll also have video of briefings from Onondaga and Oneida counties this afternoon. Here are a few top stories from yesterday:

We'll have more updates throughout the day. Stay tuned. 
Thursday, April 2

6:00 p.m. Onondaga County officials say a third person has died from the coronavirus in the county. In a statement, Onondaga County Health Commissioner Dr. Indu Gupta said the person was a male in his 80s with "significant underlying health issues." More than 300 people have tested positive for the coronavirus in the county. 

4:05 p.m. Oswego County health officials say an employee of the Kinney Drugs store in Pulaski has tested positive for COVID-19, and say anyone who visited the store on Thursday, March 26 after 9 a.m. may have been exposed. Anyone who was at the store on that day should watch for possible symptoms of COVID-19, including fever, cough, shortness of breath or gastrointestinal illness until April 9. 

3:45 p.m. Centro reported Thursday that a second employee has tested positive. The employee is a bus driver who last worked on Friday, March 27. Centro officials say the employee drove a Centro bus on the following routes:

Wednesday, March 25, 2020

5:15pm – 7:10pm             262X Fayetteville Manlius & 162 Fayetteville Manlius

Friday, March 27, 2020

4:15pm – 7:40pm             254 Midland Ave & 52 Court St

Anyone who rode a bus on those routes on those days and times should watch for symptoms. 

3:07 p.m. McMahon said an employee at the Tops Market on West Seneca St. in Manlius has tested positive for COVID-19, and customers may have been exposed to the virus. He said the store has been deep cleaned and employees notified. Any customer who was at that store on March 26 from 6 a.m.-1:10 p.m. or March 27 from 6 a.m. - 11 a.m. should watch for symptoms. Health Commissioner Dr. Indu Gupta says most of the people who had contact with the employee have been notified, but anyone who was at the store on those days should be aware of symptoms. 

3:03 p.m. Onondaga County Executive Ryan McMahon says there are now 301 positive cases of COVID-19 in the county. The county is also reporting its second death in the county. McMahon says a woman in her 60s with underlying conditions passed away.

Breakdown of cases, by age:

  • Teens: 9
  • 20s: 67
  • 30s: 47
  • 40s: 46
  • 50s: 51
  • 60s: 44
  • 70s: 24
  • 80s: 11
  • 90s: 2

3:00 p.m. Oneida County Executive Anthony Picente is giving his daily briefing. Watch live: 

2:55 p.m. Onondaga County Executive Ryan McMahon's briefing will begin at 3 p.m. Watch live:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gUtoyfXmzBk

12:05 p.m. Oswego County Legislature Chairman Jim Weatherup says the county has a decent supply of personal protective equipment in stock. But he said the county ordered another shipment of supplies, and it went to the wrong county. "They aren't giving it back, so we're ordering another shipment," he said.

11:55 a.m. Cuomo says the state's current stockpile of ventilators will run out in about six days. Cuomo says he plans to move ventilators from upstate hospitals downstate to help with the shortage. "I have no desire to acquire more ventilators than we need."

11:53 a.m. Central stockpile of supplies will be dispersed on a need basis. Cuomo is encouraging hospitals and care providers not to hoard as supplies will be monitored on a daily basis. “I ask businesses to think about the situation we’re in and a possible opportunity,” Cuomo said. He encourages companies to donate or manufacture personal protective equipment and other components to help aid in controlling the pandemic. He says the state will not only purchase the products, at a premium, but will pay to convert facilities to produce medical-related materials. “It is a state need, it is a national need,” he said. Companies can contact the Empire State Development Corporation for details. The state will pay to convert your facilities to produce these products, then buy those products at a premium.

11:51 a.m. 21,000 out-of-state healthcare workers have volunteered to come to New York state to help during the crisis. “These are beautiful, generous people and New Yorkers will return the favor,” Cuomo said.

11:50 a.m. Every county in the state has now reported at least one case of COVID-19. Cuomo stressed that taking comfort in being a rural community is a false comfort. “It’s not just urban areas, its suburban areas,” Cuomo said. “And we have rural communities that are comparable to rural communities all across this country.” He said, in a way, New York state is a microcosm of the country and what is happening here will happen across the country.

11:49 a.m. New from Gov. Cuomo: Positive cases: 92,381, 2,373 deaths, 13,383 hospitalized, 3,396 ICU patients, 7,434 patients discharged.

11:46 a.m. Barlow is suspending implementation of the city's ban on styrofoam products. It was due to take effect April 22, but will be pushed back to September. 

11:41 a.m. Barlow says Oswego Police will begin enforcing social distancing guidelines at stores in the city, and will begin enforcing the nonessential travel ban. "You should not be bringing your entire family to the store every day," he said. City parks will stay open, but playgrounds and other facilities will be closed. DPW will sanitize benches and other areas of city parks. But Barlow said if people still continue to gather, he will close parks. He also asks anyone who sees a nonessential business still open, to contact his office or the police department. He is also closing Wright's Landing Marina until July 13, but the boat launch will remain open.  

11:40 a.m. Oswego Mayor Billy Barlow says Oswego County received a 'D' grade for social distancing. "We've done out best to limit interaction, but despite our efforts we still continue to see people out like everything is alright. It is not business as usual," Barlow said. "Social distancing is important and we must do better." Barlow is banning all nonessential travel in the city. "Only essential people going to and from work, going to the store for essential items open." 

11:10 a.m. Oswego Mayor Billy Barlow is instituting a new stay-at-home order in the city. He is banning nonessential travel and nonessential outdoor activities in the city, closing city playgrounds and other public amenities, and more. He'll provide an update at 11:30 a.m. Watch live here. (Video player will appear once the briefing begins).

11:00 a.m. Gov. Andrew Cuomo will give his daily briefing at 11:30 a.m. Watch live below. (Video player will appear once the briefing begins)

7:20 a.m. It's been a few weeks since most of us have been working from home, and we'd like to know how you're doing. Are you a teacher doing distance learning with your students? Are you a healthcare worker going to work every day? Are you at home with nothing to do and you're bored? Are you enjoying the time? Are you struggling? We'd love to hear from you. Open up the Voice Memo app on your phone, and record a message for us. Tell us your name and where you live, and how things are going. Then email it to news@wrvo.org. We may use your voice for a future story on being at home during this time. 

7:00 a.m. Good morning. As usual, we'll post live video when Gov. Cuomo gives his daily briefing later today. Onondaga and Oneida counties will also provide briefings around 3 p.m. Here are some headlines:

We'll have more updates through the day. 
Wednesday, April 1

5:28 p.m. Most counties have updated their numbers of positive cases today. Check our map above and hover over (or tap if you're on mobile) for the latest numbers. 

4:35 p.m. Oswego County has allocated $500,000 for coronavirus response. The county also announced three new cases today, bringing its total up to 23. See today's update below. The county has also published an online dashboard, showing the number of cases, tests conducted, people recovered, and more. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KztkCxjs7Pk&feature=youtu.be

3:20 p.m. Centro says one of its bus drivers has tested positive for COVID-19. In a statement, Centro says the employee last worked on Friday, March 27, but contact with riders was limited because riders are getting on the bus from the rear doors. The Onondaga County Health Department is contacting people who may have been at risk of exposure and is asking them to quarantine.

3:05 p.m. Onondaga County Executive Ryan McMahon says there are now 277 cases of COVID-19 in the county, up 28 from yesterday. 27 people are hospitalized, 14 in critical condition. "Sobering data," McMahon said.67 people have recovered and have been released from mandatory isolation.55% of cases involve people under the age of 50.

Breakdown of cases, by age:

  • Teens: 8
  • 20s: 60
  • 30s: 42
  • 40s: 43
  • 50s: 49
  • 60s: 40
  • 70s: 23
  • 80s: 10
  • 90s: 2

3:00 p.m. Oneida County Executive Anthony Picente is giving his daily briefing. There are nine new cases in the county, bringing the total to 55. Watch live:

2:55 p.m. Onondaga County Executive Ryan McMahon will give his daily brieing at 3 p.m. Watch live:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9nsVAKU1hso

12:45 p.m. Cuomo says this is going to be a "transformative" experience. "We're never going to be the same again. We're not going to forget what happened here. When will things get back to normal? I don't think it will get back to normal. I think we get to a new normal like we're seeing in so many parts of society right now," Cuomo says.

12:40 p.m. Cuomo says he's still getting reports of young people, especially in New York City, not following social distancing. "It is still a problem." He is ordering all New York City playgrounds closed. Open area will still be open. 

12:37 p.m. Cuomo says models suggest 16,000 New Yorkers could die from the virus. But the virus will continue through the country. "It's a New York problem today. Tomorrow it's a Kansas problem and a Texas problem and a New Mexico problem." Cuomo says the only way to slow the anxiety is to have more tests. "Rapid testing, at-home testing would quell the anxiety as well as light a fire under the economy. The testing is going to be the best way of getting there."

12:30 p.m. Cuomo says the models the state is looking at suggest an apex of cases at the end of April. "Another month of this," Cuomo said. He said the models suggest that with minimal social distancing, the state will need 110,000 hospital beds. With stricter social distancing, the state would need 75,000 beds. 

12:20 p.m. New numbers from Gov. Cuomo: 83,712 confirmed cases of the coronavirus. 12,226 are currently hospitalized, 3,022 in ICU. 1,941 people in New York have died. 

12:15 p.m. Gov. Cuomo is holding his daily briefing. Watch live below:

10:30 a.m. SUNY Oswego President Deborah Stanley says the college will postpone its commencement ceremonies, and will reschedule them to a later date. The college did not announce a new date for commencement, but Stanley says the college will stay in touch with students and let them know when a new date is picked. 

9:20 a.m. Sen. Chuck Schumer and Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand announce over $2.2 million in federal funding for central and western New York, the Capital Region, Rochester, Hudson Valley, and North Country. The funding is provided by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and will be used to support health centers providing care to communities affected by COVID-19.

8:35 a.m. Mohawk Valley Health System (MVHS) has announced new respiratory triage tents now open outside the emergency departments of St. Elizabeth and St. Luke’s hospitals. The triage tents are for patients with respiratory symptoms (cough, shortness of breath, congestion, etc.) and will help identify those who have symptoms of coronavirus/COVID-19 before they enter the facility. The hope is to significantly minimize their exposure to other patients and staff.

Note: The triage tents are not for coronavirus/COVID-19 testing.

6:45 a.m. March came in like a lion and left like, well,  a much bigger lion. The past month has felt like a year, but it's finally over. Gov. Cuomo will give his briefing later today. Onondaga County Executive Ryan McMahon will give his briefing at 3 p.m. Live video will be here when the briefings begin. In the meantime, here are some top stories. 

We'll have more updates throughout the day. 
Tuesday, March 31

7:30 p.m. Madison, Herkimer, and Oneida counties all announced new deaths due to the coronavirus today. In Herkimer County, officials said a 73-year-old with underlying health issues died as a result of the virus. Oneida County Executive Anthony Picente said a county resident was already hospitalized with COVID-19 passed away yesterday. No other information was given. And Madison County officials only said a county resident had died. It is the second death reported in Madison County from COVID-19. 

4:05 p.m. Onondaga Community College says it will continue distance learning for all classes through the end of the semester. According to a news release, the decision was made after consulting with SUNY. The college says no decision has been made yet about commencement, which is scheduled for May 16. 

3:07 p.m. Oneida County Executive Anthony Picente is giving his daily briefing. He says there are eight new positive cases in the county, for a total of 46. he also says the county has reported its first death due to the coronavirus. Picente has ordered all camping and RV sites in the county closed until July 1. Watch live below.

3:02 p.m. Onondaga County Executive Ryan McMahon says there are now 249 positive cases in the county, up 21 from yesterday. 31 are hospitalized, 12 in critical condition. 54% of cases are in people under the age of 50. "These are sobering statistics. This virus is tough," McMahon said. 55 people have recovered and been released from mandatory isolation.

Breakdown of cases, by age

  • Teens: 7
  • 20s: 53
  • 30s: 36
  • 40s: 39
  • 50s: 46
  • 60s: 39
  • 70s: 19
  • 80s: 9
  • 90s: 1

2:55 p.m. Onondaga County Executive Ryan McMahon will give his daily briefing at 3 p.m. Watch live below. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B3ih5d2Xp_8

2:25 p.m. Cayuga County officials held a briefing today to say that there are still four confirmed cases of COVID-19 in the county, but also to say that supplies of personal protective equipment (PPE) and testing swabs are very low. See the full briefing below.

1:55 p.m. Gov. Cuomo today apologized for the delays people are experiencingtrying to file for unemployment benefits. The state Department of Labor website has gotten tens of millions of hits over the last week, and the department, which usually gets about 50,000 calls a week, saw 1.2 million calls Monday, and 7 million calls last week. "It is not working as smoothly as I would like to see it," said Cuomo. "It's compounding people's stress. You're unemployed, you're trying to get on some darn website, you can't get on the website. We have literally hundreds of people working on it. I apologize for the pain. It must be infuriating to deal with. The site is so deluged that it keeps crashing because you have hundreds of thousands of people trying to get on the site and it continues to crash" The Department of Labor says when are able to get through and file for unemployment benefits, they will be retroactive to the date the became unemployed. 

12:00 p.m. Cuomo is again stressing staying at home. "You want to go out and act stupid for yourself, that's one thing. But your stupid actions don't just affect you. You come home, and you can infect someone else and you can cause a serious illness or even death by your actions. And people really need to get this and internalize it, because it can happen to anyone," he said.

11:55 a.m. "The point is...stay home. You can infect other people," Cuomo says. "Everyone is subject to this virus. I don't care how smart or how rich you are. This virus is the great equalizer." Cuomo talks about his brother's diagnosis. "He's going to be fine. But there's a lesson in this. You go out there, the chance you get infected is very high." 

11:50 a.m. Cuomo says "When does this end? When we have fast-track testing. An at-home test, 15 minute testing. That's when people can go back to work." 

11:48 a.m. As Gov. Cuomo gives his daily breifing, his brother, CNN anchor Chris Cuomo, announces he has tested positive for the coronavirus. 

11:45 a.m. Cuomo seems frustrated in his briefing today. "I'm tired of being behind this virus. We've been behind from day one. You don't win at catching up," he says. Cuomo also says there needs to be a "social acceptance" of expectations. "Everyone wants to know whan it will be over," Cuomo says. "Nobody knows. But it's not going to be soon." 

11:37 a.m. New numbers from Gov. Cuomo: Total number of cases of COVID-19 in New York is up to 75,795 with 1,550 deaths. 10,929 people are hospitalized, with 2,710 in ICU. 

11:10 a.m. Gov. Andrew Cuomo will give a briefing at 11:30 a.m. Watch live below. (The video player will appear once the briefing begins). 

10:30 a.m. The state education department is telling school districts that their April breaks have been canceled. Most districts have been doing remote instruction since schools closed because of the coronavirus, but many were planning to take the break week off. New guidance from the education department released yesterday says that "districts must continue to provide remote instruction, meals for students, and child care for essential workers every day between April 1, 2020 and April 14, 2020, even if the district is scheduled to be on spring break during that time." 

10:00 a.m. Oneida County is taking a new approach to keeping children and the community busy while people are home during the pandemic. Each morning at 10 a.m., members of the sheriff's department will read a story to kids, and do safety demonstrations. See today's video below. 

7:15 a.m. It's official: Every county in New York now has at least one confirmed case of the coronavirus. Seneca County had not reported a positive case until last night. Health officials say the person is in isolation and people who had contact with that person are being identified, and close contacts will be quarantined. 

7:00 a.m. Good morning. As usual, we'll post video for Gov. Cuomo's briefing later today and for Onondaga County Executive Ryan McMahon's briefing at 3 p.m. We'll also post any other briefings from around the region as they become available. Here are a few top stories:

  • "Staggering"That's the word Gov. Cuomo used yesterday to describe the number of deaths attributed to the coronavirus in New York. As of yesterday there were more than 1,200 deaths and more than 66,000 cases. He's asking any healthcare worker from across the country not dealing with a crisis to come to New York to help, pledging that New York healthcare workers will do the same in other states. 
  • Onondaga County's cases continue its sharp rise. The county has 228 positive cases as of yesterday, but the good news, according to County Executive Ryan McMahon, is that more people are starting to recover. He said the county is purchasing $1 million in personal protective equipment (PPE) to help Syracuse hospitals. 
  • Lt. Gov. Kathy Hochul says what's happening in New York City may actually help upstate prepare for the virus, since the peak in NYC is likely to come before the peak upstate. Hear Hochul's full conversation with Morning Edition host Leah Landry.

We'll have more updates throughout the day. Stay tuned. 

Monday, March 30

4:35 p.m. Oswego County Legislature Chairman James Weatherup said today that he has signed an executive order authorizing state and local authorities to enforce the state's ban on nonessential gatherings. "We have shared this message with the public repeatedly over the last week or so, but it has become apparent that many members of our communities have not taken this seriously," Weatherup said. Additionally, the city of Fulton is closing all city playgrounds, and city parks will be under strict social distancing adherence. See the full message below from Weatherup, Fulton Mayor Deanna Michaels and Oswego Mayor Billy Barlow. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Twc_M_xprp0&feature=youtu.be

3:10 p.m. Oneida County Executive Anthony Picente is holding a briefing. Watch below:

3:05 p.m. Onondaga County Executive Ryan McMahon says there are now 228 cases in the county, up 34 from yesterday. 23 people are hospitalized, seven in critical condition. 10 have been released from the hospital. 41 people who have recovered and are released from mandatory isolation, which McMahon says is "very good news."

Breakdown of cases, by age:

  • Teens: 7
  • 20s: 48
  • 30s: 35
  • 40s: 35
  • 50s: 40
  • 60s: 36
  • 70s: 19
  • 80s: 7
  • 90s: 1

2:55 p.m. Onondaga County Executive Ryan McMahon will hold a briefing at 3 p.m. Watch live below. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rrh3kKEDSvg

1:50 p.m. State Sen. James Seward, who represents parts of central New York and the Mohawk Valley, has tested positive for COVID-19 and is currently hospitalized. In a statement, he says he is recovering, and should be released from the hospital soon. Seward's wife has also tested positive. 

1:35 p.m. Cuomo is calling for unity in dealing with the pandemic. "The president calls this a war. I agree with that. This is a war. Then let's act that way, now. And let's show a commonality and a mutuality and a unity that this country hasn't seen in decades. Because the Lord knows we need it more than ever before."

1:30 p.m. Cuomo is asking any healthcare worker in another state not dealing with a crisis to come to New York to help. "This is the time for us to help one another," he said.

1:25 p.m. Cuomo says the public has a responsibility to stay home to try to slow the spread of the virus. "I know the isolation can be boring and repetitive. But that's better than the alternative," Cuomo said. 

1:20 p.m. New numbers from Gov. Cuomo: Positive cases of COVID-19 is up to 66,497. 9,517 are currently hospitalized, 2,353 in ICU. 1,218 people in New York have died as a result of the virus. 

1:00 p.m. Gov. Andrew Cuomo's daily briefing will begin soon. We'll post live video when the briefing begins. (Refresh the page if it's after 1:00 p.m. and you don't see the live video).

11:30 a.m. Gov. Andrew Cuomo is in New York City today, welcoming the USNS Comfort, a Navy hospital ship that will accommodate 1,000 patients. He'll give his daily briefing at 1:00 p.m. We'll post live video when it begins. 

10:00 a.m. Cayuga County Sheriff Brian Schenck says an employee of the sheriff's office has tested positive for COVID-19. Schenck says the person is recovering, and 10 other employees have been placed under a voluntary quarantine. He said the person did not have any contact with the public or with inmates, and that the person does not live in Cayuga County. The county has four confirmed cases of COVID-19 so far. 

8:30 a.m. A new poll out this morning From Siena College gives high marks to Gov. Andrew Cuomo over his handling of the coronavirus. 87% of those polled said they approve of the job Cuomo is doing, while just 41% said they approve of the job President Trump is doing. More details on the poll here.

7:45 a.m. SUNY Potsdam says five students have tested positive for the coronavirus. In a letter to the campus community, college president Kristin Esterberg said the five students returned to campus between March 14-March 20. One of the students showed mild cold symptoms, the four others had no symptoms. They were all tested because they had traveled to areas of high incidence of COVID-19. All five students have been isolated, and officials are contacting any other students, staff and faculty that may have been exposed.  

7:30 a.m. Good morning. Gov. Cuomo will hold a briefing later today, and Onondaga County Executive Ryan McMahon will hold a briefing at 3 p.m. We'll post live video feeds here when they become available. In the meantime, here are some of our top stories. 

  • Gov. Cuomo has extended the mandatory closureof all nonessential businesses and ban on gatherings in New York for another two weeks, through April 15. That time period includes the Passover and Easter holidays. Cuomo said he knows it will be difficult, but as the rate of the virus in New York continues to climb, it seems necessary to extend the ban through the spring holidays.

  • Cases of COVID-19 continue to rise around the region. Onondaga County is up to nearly 200, while statewide numbers approach 60,000 with more than 1,000 deaths. 

  • One industry that's really hurting right now is travel. One CNY travel agentwho specializes in trips to Italy says business is pretty much non-existent right now, but expects things to pick up again later this year. 

We'll have more updates throughout the day. Stay tuned. 
Sunday, March 29

5:00 p.m. A lot of counties around the region are reporting a big jump in the number of positive cases of COVID-19 today. Yates County was one of two counties in the state that had not yet reported any cases. But it is now reporting its first case. Seneca County is the last county to not report any cases as of yet. Be sure to check the map above for the latest updates. 

4:30 p.m. Hamilton College officials say one of its employees has tested positive for the coronavirus. College President David Wippman says this is the first known case at the college. In a news release, officials say because students have been gone since March 16, and the college has been operating with minimal staff, the person's contact with the college community has been "very limited." The college is working with the Oneida County Health Department to trace the person's potential contact with any other faculty, staff, or students. 

3:20 p.m. Oswego County is reporting five new cases of COVID-19, bringing its total to 15. Health officials say cases have been identified in the cities of Fulton and Oswego and the towns of Palermo, Constantia, Hastings, Richland, Schroeppel and West Monroe.  The ages of infected range from a young child to senior citizens and include people in their 20s,30s, 50s and 60s. "We expect the number of positive cases reported in our county will continue to increase,” said Oswego County Public Health Director Jiancheng Huang in a statement. "Health care providers, first responders, and the county and state health departments are working closely together to mitigate the disease’s impact on our community. It is important to understand that this virus is everywhere, not just in communities where tests have so far indicated."

3:03 p.m. New numbers: Onondaga County Executive Ryan McMahon says there are now 194 positive cases of COVID-19 in the county, 48 more since yesterday. 20 people are hospitalized, seven in critical condition. Seven have been released from the hospital. 5 people who have recovered and have been released from mandatory isolation, which McMahon says is good news. 55% of positive cases are in people under the age of 50.
Breakdown of cases, by age: 

  • Under 19: 6
  • 20s: 44
  • 30s: 29
  • 40s: 28
  • 50s: 33
  • 60s: 31
  • 70s: 17
  • 80s: 5
  • 90s: 1

2:57 p.m. Onondaga County Executive Ryan McMahon will give a briefing at 3 p.m. Watch live below:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q2LVGKlVcC8

12:48 p.m. Health officials cannot stress enough the importance of staying home, even if you are healthy. But if you are sick, and have been tested for COVID-19, officials say it is IMPERATIVE that you stay home. In Clinton County in the North Country, officials say a man who was sick, tested positive for COVID-19 and was symptomatic, continued to go out into the community.

"Individuals who were considered to have had close contact at Beekmantown Central School, SUNY Plattsburgh, Sawatdee Restaurant, Koto Restaurant, Eclipse Gym, Hannaford and a taxi company have been notified. During the time when this person was symptomatic, several visits were made to Walmart as well. Unfortunately, the case-patient was unable to specify the exact times of day when he went to Walmart, but states he was there most days between 3/11 and 3/24 and that he used self-checkout," according to a news release from the Clinton County Health Department. "This incident underscores the critical importance of staying home if ill, even if you have not been tested or do not believe you have COVID-19,” emphasized Erin Streiff, Director of Health Care Services for the Clinton County Health Department. “It also represents the enormous challenge of containing a viral illness like COVID-19 without the full cooperation of the community.”

Officials say being in the same location as someone with COVID-19 doesn't mean they've been exposed, and the risk is still low, but people should stay at home and watch for symptoms, including fever, cough and shortness of breath. 

12:35 p.m. Cuomo's extension of his executive order banning gatherings and non-essential work through April 15th means people won't be able to go to out for Easter or Passover. "It's difficult," Cuomo said. "But it's necessary. You look at what happened in New Rochelle, where the virus spread rapidly. It spread because of a religious gathering. It's not a good idea." Cuomo also said that "patient zero" in New Rochelle has since been released from the hospital and is recovering at home.

12:28 p.m. Cuomo's message of the day is a simple one: We are going to be ok. "I know we feel that we are under attack, but we will make it through. We've been through worse, we will get through this," he said. "No one is going to deprive New York of what it needs. There is no state better prepared and better mobilized than New York."

12:22 p.m. Cuomo is remembering a few of the healthcare workers and police officers who have died from COVID-19. "We're all afraid. You think they're not afraid to leave their house? But something is more important than their fear. It's their passion and their belief in helping others, and that overcomes their fear," Cuomo said. 

12:17 p.m. New numbers: 59,513 people in the state have tested positive for COVID-19, 8,503 currently hospitalized, 2,037 in ICU, 3,572 have been discharged from hospitals. 965 have died. 

12:15 p.m. Cuomo says, in regards to "when this will end," When there is a test that can be produced in volume. "If you can test millions of people tomorrow, they can go back to work tomorrow," he said.

12:13 p.m. Cuomo is extending his order to keep non-essential workers in the state home until at least April 15. 

12:12 p.m. Cuomo is asking public and private health system to work together. He says upstate hospitals may need to be a "relief valve" for downstate hospitals that are overwhelmed with COVID-19, and vice-versa if upstate hospitals become overwhelmed.

12:05 p.m. Gov. Cuomo says local healthcare providers need to be prepared for the apex of cases, and they need to work together. He says the state's apex is coming in 14-21 days, but it will vary around the state and nation. The "top of the curve" in upstate New York will come. It may not be as high as we're seeing in New York City, and it may come later, but it is coming. He says "just because it may not be bad now, that doesn't mean you're not going to have a real situation to deal with," he said. 

11:56 a.m. Gov. Cuomo will give a briefing at noon. Watch live below:

7:30 a.m. Good morning. Get those indoor activities planned, because it's going to be a rainy day outside. Gov. Cuomo will hold a briefing later this morning. Onondaga County Executive Ryan McMahon will have a briefing at 3 p.m. We'll post live video here when it's available. In the meantime, here's a recap from yesterday. 

  • The number of cases of COVID-19 statewide is over 50,000 with more than 700 deaths. Gov. Cuomo delayed the state's April 28 presidential primary. It will now be held June 23, the same day as the congressional and state legislative primaries. Meanwhile, after saying he was considering a quarantine for the NY/NJ/CT region, President Trump said he would issue a travel advisory, not a quarantine. 
  • Onondaga County is up to 146 cases, with 20 people hospitalized. Tompkins County is up to 56, Oneida and Madison counties are at 28. The city of Oswego confirmed its first case, for a total of 10 in Oswego County. 
  • St. Lawrence and Lewis counties were two of the last in the state to announce positive cases, but the virus is spreading. St. Lawrence County's cases nearly doubled in the last day, up to 11. Lewis County announced it's first two positive cases last evening. See the latest numbers on the map above. It's updated several times each day. 

That's all for now. We'll post more updates through the day. 
Saturday, March 28

5:15 p.m. After being one of the last counties in central and northern New York to report a positive case of the coronavirus, St. Lawrence County is seeing a spike in cases. Yesterday, county officials said they had six positive cases. Today, it's up to 11. In a statement, health officials say testing in the county is limited, and it's likely the virus is spreading undetected through the county. 

4:45 p.m. Herkimer County is reporting its second death due to the coronavirus. Health officials say the person was a 73-year-old resident with underlying health issues. The total number of cases in the county is currently 11. 

4:15 p.m. Oswego Mayor Billy Barlow says the city has its first confirmed case of COVID-19. That brings the total number of cases in Oswego County to nine. See Barlow's full update below. 

3:07 p.m. Oneida County says there are four more positive cases of COVID-19 in the county, for a total of 28. Watch County Executive Anthony Picente's briefing below.

3:02 p.m. Onondaga County Executive Ryan McMahon says over the last three days a large number of tests have come back, meaning there are more positive cases coming in. There are now 146 positive cases in the county, up 23 from yesterday. McMahon says 20 people are currently hospitalized, eight are in critical condition. Three people who were hospitalized have been released and are recovering at home. 

Breakdown of cases, by age:

  • Under 19: 6 (all teenagers)
  • 20s: 31
  • 30s: 21
  • 40s: 21
  • 50s: 25
  • 60s: 19
  • 70s: 16
  • 80s: 3
  • 90s: 1

2:55 p.m. Onondaga County Executive Ryan McMahon will give a briefing at 3 p.m. Watch Live below.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kn4bYsCayC8

12:45 p.m. Moving New York's presidential primary from April 28 to June 23 has implications in central New York. A special election in the state Senate's 50th district in the Syracuse-area was also scheduled for April 28, which will also likely be delayed until June. 

12:40 p.m. The number of deaths in New York is up to 728. "The longer you are on a ventilator, the less of a chance you have to recover," Cuomo said. 

12:37 p.m. New numbers: 52,318 confirmed cases of COVID-19 in New York, 7,328 people hospitalized, 1,755 in intensive care. Cuomo says "if you're looking for good news today, I wouldn't put a lot of stock in it, ICU admissions, meaning people who need ventilators, went down to 172 compared to 374 the day before." 

12:33 p.m. Cuomo is delaying New York's presidential primary from April 28 to June 23, which is when congressional and legislative primaries will also be held. The state tax filing deadline will also be extended to July 15. 

12:30 p.m. Cuomo says he spoke with President Trump this morning and the president has approved four new temporary hospitals in Brooklyn, Queens, Staten Island and the Bronx. Each of the temporary hospitals will accommodate 1,000 patients. Cuomo says the state will open up three "COVID-only" hospitals. 600+ beds will be dedicated in three locations in New York City and will only serve patients will COVID-19. 

12:26 p.m. Cuomo says it may be necessary for the state to step in and move patients from downstate hospitals to upstate hospitals "if those hospitals become overwhelmed with COVID-19 cases," Cuomo said. He's also asking regional health systems to work together to shift resources around if they need. He's also asking pharmacies in the state to deliver medications at no charge. He said he will be talking to major chains today. 

12:20 p.m. Why hasn't New York used the ventilators it has been given yet? Cuomo says they aren't needed yet. He says the apex may come in 14-21 days. "You go to war with what you have, not with what you need," Cuomo said. He said the state has enough personal protective equipment in stock for the short term, but not for the long term. 

12:15 p.m. Cuomo shows an example of a bag valve mask, which can be used if there is a lack of ventilators. The state has bought 3,000 of these masks and are buying another 4,000. But Cuomo says you need a person available 24 hours a day to squeeze the mask manually. But he says that would take a monumental effort. Short answer is, no thank you," Cuomo said. 

12:10 p.m. Cuomo says this is a very disorienting experience for most people. "If you are feeling disoriented, it's not you...it's everyone," he said. New York's first case of COVID-19 was 27 days ago, the state "shut down" 8 days ago. "It feels like a lifetime," Cuomo said. But he then says this started in China 12 weeks ago, South Korea 9 weeks ago, Italy 8 weeks ago. "Keep that in perspective during this disorienting time when one day is blurring into the next," he said.

12:00 p.m. Gov. Andrew Cuomo is giving his daily briefing. Watch live below.

7:30 a.m. Good morning. We've got some rain moving into our region this afternoon, so if you want to get outside, do it this morning (while remaining socially distant, of course). Gov. Cuomo will have a briefing later this morning, and Onondaga County Executive Ryan McMahon will hold a briefing at 3 p.m. We'll post live video when it's available. In the meantime, here are a few of yesterday's top stories. 

  • Statewide, the number of cases of COVID-19 is approaching 50,000 with nearly 600 deaths. Gov. Cuomo will have updated numbers later today. In Onondaga County, the number of cases is up to 123. At a briefing yesterday Syracuse Mayor Ben Walsh said after a number of complaints of young people not following social distancing guidelines, especially at city basketball courts. So the city removed the rims from the baskets. He also said city golf courses don't open until May 1. "If LeBron James and Tiger Woods can take some time off, so can you,” Walsh said. “Your game won’t suffer too much.”
  • President Trump claimed during Friday's White House coronavirus briefing that the federal government shipped droves of ventilators to New York. What did New York officials do in response? According to Trump, they ignored the new supply and instead attacked the White House for not doing more to assist the state. "We sent thousands of ventilators to New York, and they didn't know about it at the time they were complaining," Trump said. "They were going there in large numbers." An aghast New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo had this reply to Trump's accusation: "That is incorrect and grossly uninformed."
  • Here's a really good FAQ on the virus that answers some of the most asked questions, like "Does the virus live on clothes?"

We'll have more updates through the day. 
Friday, March 27

3:45 p.m. More cases of COVID-19 are being reported around the region. St. Lawrence County officials say they have a community spread of the coronavirus. They are up to six cases. Broome County now has three deaths associated with the virus, and 17 cases total. Otsego County has it's first death as well. Other counties will release updated numbers over the next few hours. Check the map above for the most recent updates. You can hover your mouse over a county (or tap if you're on a mobile device) for the most recent results. 

3:10 p.m. New numbers in Onondaga County: 123 positive cases, up 12 from yesterday. McMahon asks people to get tested if they don't feel well. "The way we flatten the curve is to get people tested, because we have the tests," McMahon said. 18 people are currently hospitalized, six are in critical condition. 349 are in a mandatory quarantine. 57% of positive cases are under the age of 50.

Breakdown of cases by age:

  • Under 19: 5 (all teenagers)
  • 20s: 30
  • 30s: 16
  • 40s: 19
  • 50s: 22
  • 60s: 16
  • 70s: 12
  • 80s: 3

3:07 p.m. Onondaga County Sheriff Gene Conway is also at today's briefing. He's there to address rumors that there is a curfew or travel ban in Onondaga County. Conway says there is neither a travel ban, nor a curfew in the county. He says the department is getting calls of people not following social distancing guidelines. "We will respond to each complaint that comes into 911. And we will do what we feel is the best course of action. But each circumstance is unique, but we expect people to cooperate with us," Conway said.

3:03 p.m. Here is a PSA the city and county put together to spread the word on slowing the spread of COVID-19. 

3:00 p.m. Syracuse Mayor Ben Walsh is joining McMahon at today's briefing. He says while most people are following social distancing guidelines, some younger people are not. Walsh says a number of kids were playing basketball, and Walsh decided against calling the police. "Ultimately, we decided to take down the hoops and we will continue to do that until they are all down," Walsh said. He said while parks remain open, use of the equipment is not available.  

2:57 p.m. Onondaga County Executive Ryan McMahon will give his daily briefing at 3 p.m. Watch live: 

12:39 p.m. New York State Assembly Minority Leader Will Barclay says Republican Assemblyman Brian Miller has tested positive for COVID-19 and is currently hospitalized in Utica. Miller represents the Assembly's 101st district, which is based in Utica, but snakes through the Catskills toward New York City. His district covers parts of Oneida, Herkimer, Otsego, Delaware, Ulster, Sullivan, and Orange counties. Barclay said Miller was last in Albany March 18. He was tested March 20, and had been at his home since. Miller is the fourth member of the Assembly to test positive for COVID-19. 

12:07 p.m. Cuomo, not referring to Trump by name, responds to Trump's comments last night saying New York didn't need 30,000 ventilators. "I don't have a crystal ball, everyone has an opinion. I don't operate on opinions. I operate on facts, data, numbers, and projections. I hope we don't need 30,000 ventilators. The numbers say we may need 30,000," Cuomo said. 

11:55 a.m. Cuomo says if there is any good news, it's that the rate of hospitalizations has declined. 10 days ago, the number of people being hospitalized doubled every 2.5 days. Last week, it was doubled every three days, it is currently every four days. "We want to see the rate slowing," Cuomo said. 

11:50 a.m. Cuomo says 138,376 people in New York have been tested, 16,272 in the last day. Total number of positive cases is up to 44,635. 585 people in the state have died. Cuomo says this number will go up, "which is the worst news." 6,481 are currently hospitalized in the state, 1,583 in intensive care. 

11:45 a.m. Cuomo is again talking about increasing hospital capacity. He says the state is amassing a stockpile of medical supplies and personal protective equipment. Cuomo says with all of the work they have done, it won't add up to the number of beds the state needs. So, Cuomo will ask President Trump to approve four more temporary hospitals in New York City. this will provide another 4,000 beds. He also plans to use dormitories at SUNY schools downstate, and hotels and nursing homes to create additional beds. 

11:36 a.m. Gov. Cuomo says all schools in the state will remain closed until at least April 15th. Most schools around the region had already decided to close until then. The state will continue to waive the 180 day requirement. 

11:30 a.m. Gov. Andrew Cuomo is giving his daily briefing. Watch live: 

10:00 a.m. The city of Oswego will soon be cracking down on people who don't follow social distancing guidelines to slow the spread of the coronavirus. Oswego Mayor Billy Barlow signed an executive order today expanding the powers of the police department and code enforcement office, because he said people are not adhering to the guidelines. "We will not tolerate inconsiderate and reckless behavior while the majority of our community is taking the necessary steps to stop the spread of COVID-19," Barlow said in a news release. He said residents can call the police if they see large gatherings of people at any hour and police will respond. He's also asking the city's codes enforcement department to monitor businesses that may still be open without being deemed essential by the state. Barlow said anyone hosting a social gathering is subject to arrest, and the address of the gathering, as well as the names of attendees, will be sent to the state health department. "The longer we do not properly social distance, the longer we have to do it," he said.

7:20 a.m. The House is expected to vote today on the $2.2 trillion dollar coronavirus relief package that passed the Senate this week. House leaders want to pass the bill by a voice vote, meaning not everyone needs to be physically in the chamber to vote. But some lawmakers are calling for a roll call vote, which would force all members to cast their votes in person.

North Country Rep. Elise Stefanik (R-Schuylerville) said she will vote for the bill, but said she thinks New York deserves more money in the package. "One concern I have is New York state is not getting as much support as I think we need regarding the funding for states and localities,” she told WWNY-TV in Watertown. "That's by nature of, when you have the Senate, the New York delegation in the U.S. Senate is the same as the North Dakota delegation, so each state is much more equal in terms of what each state is given and I believe New York needs more funding."

Central New York Rep. John Katko (R-Camillus) also supports the bill, and said yesterday this may not be the last piece of legislation. "Is it a perfect package?  No. Is it a step in the right direction? Absolutely, Katko said. "And as the situation develops, I’ll be surprised if there isn’t more legislation down the pike. Just don’t know where this is going to lead us, but this is a very good first step.”

7:15 a.m. Gov. Andrew Cuomo will give a briefing later this morning, and we expect him to have some words for President Trump. Cuomo has been saying all week that the state will need 30,000 ventilators to accommodate the surge in hospitalizations from the coronavirus. Last night, President Trump spoke on Sean Hannity's show on Fox News. He said he didn't think governors needed the equipment they were asking for. "I have a feeling that a lot of the numbers that are being said in some areas are just bigger than they're going to be," Trump said. "I don't believe you need 40,000 or 30,000 ventilators." 

7:00 a.m. Good morning, here are a few of our top stories as we head into Friday. 

  • For the second straight day, Onondaga County had a big spike in cases of the coronavirus. There are now 111 cases, 16 people are hospitalized. Most counties around the region are seeing more cases as well. As of now, Lewis County is the only county in central and northern New York that hasn't reported any positive cases yet. 
  • Gov. Cuomo says the state still plans to finish the state budget by April 1. Cuomo said he wants to try something that’s never been done before. He wants to pass the budget by April 1 and then update the state spending plan quarterly. He would revise the amounts paid out to school districts, local governments, health care providers and all others who depend on state funding, based on how much money the state actually has collected from revenues. The governor said he does not expect the idea to be popular, but said it’s necessary.
  • The Rescue Mission of CNY has had to lay off nearly 300 people due to the coronavirus. They've closed all Thrifty Shopper stores, which supply about 60% of its revenue. 

We'll have more news updates throughout the day. 
Thursday, March 26

7:30 p.m. Herkimer County officials say one of its residents has died as a result of the coronavirus. Health officials said in an announcementthat the person was 85-year-old and had an underlying medical condition. 

4:20 p.m. A number of counties are reporting new cases of COVID-19 today. Be sure to check the map above for the latest numbers as we have them. You can hover over a county to see the total. Here's a list of updates:

  • Onondaga County: 111
  • Oswego County: 8
  • Jefferson County: 4
  • St. Lawrence County: 4
  • Cortland County: 6
  • Madison County: 13
  • Tompkins County: 32
  • Oneida County: 16

3:15 p.m. Oneida County Executive Anthony Picente is also giving a briefing. The county is up to 16 cases of COVID-19. Watch below. 

3:05 p.m. There's been another big jump in the number of cases of the coronavirus in Onondaga County. County Executive Ryan McMahon says 111 cases are now confirmed in the county. He attributes this to a large number of test results that have come in . He says more than 670 results came in in the last day. 

Breakdown of cases:

  •  4 in their teens
  • 26 in their 20s
  • 15 in their 30s
  • 18 in their 40s
  • 19 in their 50s
  • 15 in their 60s
  • 12 in their 70s
  • 2 in their 80s

3:00 p.m.  Onondaga County Executive Ryan McMahon is giving his daily briefing. 

1:55 p.m. St. Lawrence University says one if its employees has tested positive for the coronavirus, according to a report from North Country Public Radio. The university did not identify the person, but said the person does not live on campus and has not been on campus since March 16. St. Lawrence County confirmed its first case of COVID-19 yesterday, but the health department has not yet confirmed if this is an additional case. 

12:00 p.m. Cuomo says for those who say they are tired of this, he says "this is not a sprint, this is a marathon." He says when you feel tired, think of the healthcare workers, first responders, those working in grocery stores, pharmacists.

11:55 a.m. New numbers: 37,258 positive cases in New York, 5,327 hospitalized, 1,290 currently in ICU. Cuomo says 1,517 patients who were hospitalized have since been discharged. 

11:52 a.m. Cuomo said the state conducted more than 18,000 tests in the last day, by far more than any other state. But what concerns him is the number of deaths in New York is increasing. He says some patients have been on ventilators for 20-30 days. Longer stays without recovery lead to a higher death rate. "When you have older sicker patients stay on ventilators longer, there is usually a worse outcome," Cuomo said. He says 385 people have died from COVID-19 in New York.

11:50 a.m. Cuomo is talking about the state budget, which is due April 1. He says lawmakers will have to figure out how to handle the loss of revenue. He's not sure how much revenue is lost. He said the state will adjust down its revenue projections, and says they will adjust the budget through the year address actual revenue as the economic uncertainty remains. 

11:45 a.m. Cuomo is talking about the economic consequences of the pandemic. He again says that New York is getting shortchanged in the Senate's $2 trillion stimulus bill. He says New York is facing an up to $15 billion budget deficit. He says New York is getting $5 billion from the stimulus bill, but says it can only be used for COVID-19 expenses. "The biggest problem is the lost revenue. This failed to address the governmental need," Cuomo. 

11:30 a.m. Gov. Andrew Cuomo is giving a briefing. Watch live below. 

9:55 a.m. With the news this morning that 3.3 million people filed for unemployment last week nationwide, the numbers in New York are just as staggering. The state Department of Labor said this week that on average, it takes about 50,000 calls per week. Last week...it took 1.7 million. It also saw more than 2.7 million visits to its website. Many people are still unable to call to file for unemployment, with people simply getting a recorded message to call back later. But the DOL says it is hiring more people and shifting employees to take more calls. They also say their benefits will be retroactive to the date they were laid off. 

6:45 a.m. Good morning. Gov. Cuomo will hold a briefing later this morning. We'll post the live video link here when it's available. In the meantime, here are some of yesterday's top stories, and a few stories that aired on WRVO this morning. 

We'll have more updates throughout the day. 
Wednesday, March 25

5:00 p.m. Oswego County has reported another case of COVID-19. Officials say the person is between 40-50 years old. This is the fourth positive case in the county. Officials say none of the four cases are from the same locality. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U8vgkNcx5kA&feature=youtu.be

4:35 p.m. Tompkins County says a food worker in Ithaca has tested positive for COVID-19. Officials say the person worked two shifts at Mango Mango Dessert, located at 159 Dryden Rd., Ithaca. Anyone who was there on 3/14 from 1-5 p.m. and 3/15 from 11:30 a.m. - 5 p.m. should self-quarantine in their home and watch for possible symptoms, including fever, cough and shortness of breath. 

3:35 p.m. Oneida County Executive Anthony Picente says there are three more positive cases there, bringing the total number of cases to 15. Watch his daily briefing below. 

3:20 p.m. McMahon's tone is more angry than in previous days. He said people are not following social distancing guidelines. "If you go and get a test, I'm assuming you are sick. We need to be able to communicate with you. You are under a mandatory quarantine. If you break a quarantine, you will face charges," he said. He said he knows of a few cases of people traveling back and forth to New York City. 

3:15 p.m. Onondaga County Executive Ryan McMahon said today there's been a big jump in cases of COVID-19 in the last 24 hours. There are now 81 cases, a 35% increase in one day. McMahon said this was a result of a large number of test results coming in. 10 people are currently hospitalized, three of them are in critical condition. 248 people in the county are under a mandatory quarantine. 41% of cases involve people under the age of 40.

Breakdown of cases:

  • 40 females
  • 41 males
  • 3 cases under age 19
  • 20 cases involving people ages 20-29
  • 10 cases involving people ages 30-39
  • 9 cases involving people ages 40-49
  • 11 cases involving people ages 50-59
  • 12 cases involving people ages 60-69
  • 10 cases involving people ages 70-79
  • 2 cases involving people ages 80-89

3:00 p.m. Onondaga County Executive Ryan McMahon is giving his daily briefing. Watch live below:

12:10 p.m. There aren't many counties left in the state that have not yet had a confirmed case of COVID-19.  St. Lawrence County was one of them...until today. The county confirmed its first positive test earlier today. Health officials say the person is a resident of the county, but didn't give any other information. 

11:43 a.m. New numbers: Cuomo says more than 103,000 people have been tested in New York. There are now 30,811 cases in the state, more than half of those in New York City. 3,805 are hospitalized, 888 in intensive care. 285 have died as a result of the virus. 

11:40 a.m. Cuomo says the Senate's $2 trillion coronavirus relief package would be "terrible" for New York. He says New York would receive $3.8 billion. 'That sounds like a lot, but we're facing a shortfall of 9, 10 15 billion dollars," Cuomo said. "New York City will only receive $1.3 billion? That is a drop in the bucket." Cuomo says in the House bill, New York would get $17 billion. In a news release this morning, Sen. Chuck Schumer said New York would receive more than $40 billion. 

11:34 a.m. Cuomo says more than 40,000 retired healthcare professionals have signed up as a "surge healthcare force" to help with response to the virus. Cuomo also says more than 6,000 mental health professionals have signed up to help people with mental health issues as a result of the coronavirus. 

11:30 a.m. Cuomo says the state is still "shopping around the world" for medical equipment. He says right now, and the foreseeable future, there is an adequate supply of medical supplies. That may not be the case in three weeks, Cuomo says, but for now it's adequate. The state needs 30,000 ventilators, the state will soon have 15,000, after purchasing 7,000 and the 4,000 being given to the state from the federal government. Cuomo said he's still talking to the feds about getting more ventilators. 

11:27 a.m. Cuomo says the density control plans seem to be working, because the rate of hospitalizations has declined over the last several days. "This is a very good sign, and a positive sign. I'm not 100% sure it's accurate, but the arrows are headed in the right direction," Cuomo said. 

11:25 a.m. New York City will try closing some streets to cars to give people more room to walk to try and slow the spread. New York City will also not allow close contact on playgrounds. If people don't follow the guidelines, they will close the playgrounds. 

11:22 a.m. Gov. Cuomo says the rate of hospitalizations in New York is about 15%. He says the number of people needing to be hospitalized is higher than they originally thought. They expected about 110,000 hospitalizations, but the actual number may be closer to 140,000. "We are doing everything we can to slow the spread of the virus. Flatten the curve, slow the infection rate," Cuomo said. 

10:55 a.m. Gov. Andrew Cuomo will give a briefing at 11:15 a.m. Watch live below. 

9:30 a.m. Madison County has opened up a new drive-through test site for COVID-19. County officials say the test site, located at Community Memorial Hospital in Hamilton, is by appointment only. People who think they should be tested should call the hospital first at 315-228-3022. If they meet the criteria for testing, they'll be told to go to the test site. 

6:30 a.m. Good morning. Here is a recap of some of yesterday's headlines.

  • Onondaga County reported it's first death related to the coronavirus, an elderly person who had been hospitalized. Officials did not give any other information. The total number of cases in the county is up to 60, with a majority of them involving people under the age of 50. 
  • Gov. Andrew Cuomo warnedthe federal government that the acceleration rate of the virus in New York is faster than they thought, and that the apex could come in 2-3 weeks. He warned the state will need 30,000 ventilators to treat serious cases, but has only a fraction of that. 
  • Some financial relief is on the way. The Senate agreed early this morning to a $2 trillion coronavirus rescue package. Among other things, the bill would send a $1,200 check to most Americans, with an extra $500 per child. It would also expand unemployment benefits for those laid off or furloughed because of the pandemic. The Senate is expected to vote on the bill later today, the House is likely to support it, and the president is likely to sign it. 
  • School has been out for over a week now for most kids in the region. One child psychologist says parents should watch their children's mental health during what can be a scary time. 

Later today, Gov. Cuomo will give a briefing. Onondaga County Executive Ryan McMahon will give his briefing at 3:00 p.m. We'll post video feeds here so you can watch live. 
Tuesday, March 24

7:20 p.m. Our final update today is a bit of good news. Anyone who lives near Lake Ontario in Oswego County knows that Rudy's Lakeside Drive-in is the quintessential place to eat during the summer. And a sure sign of spring is when Rudy's opens for business every March. They delayed their opening this year due to the coronavirus, but they'll be open for the season starting tomorrow. For now, they're only offering takeout service and they'll have a limited menu, but its small reminder that spring and summer are on the way. 

5:00 p.m. Oswego County has confirmed a third case of COVID-19. Health officials say the person is a county resident between the ages of 60 and 70 and they are recovering at home. The person had recently been traveling and has been quarantined since being tested. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2XRZAfA3rH4

4:00 p.m. Oneida County Executive Anthony Picente said today there are two new cases of COVID-19 in the county, bringing its total to 12. Watch his full briefing below. 

3:10 p.m. McMahon is stressing that young people can get this virus, and they are getting this virus. He said three teenagers in the county are recovering from the virus. He tells parents "Keep your kids at home with you, where they are safe." 

3:02 p.m. Onondaga County Executive Ryan McMahon said just eight days ago the county had its first case of COVID-19, and now there are 60 cases, with one death. 8 people are currently hospitalized, three are in critical condition. 

Breakdown of cases:

  • 31 males
  • 29 females
  • Under 19: 3
  • 20-29: 13
  • 30-39: 7
  • 40-49: 9
  • 50-59: 11
  • 60-69: 7
  • 70-79: 9
  • 80-89: 1

2:59 p.m. Onondaga County Executive is giving his daily briefing. Watch live below.

2:50 p.m. Onondaga County has reported its first death releated to the coronavirus. Health officials say the person was elderly and was hospitalized, so there is no risk of exposure to the general public. Onondaga County Executive Ryan McMahon will have more details during his 3 p.m. briefing. 

2:20 p.m. The Syracuse City School District says two of its employees have tested positive for COVID-19, according to a robocall that went out to district staff today, and reported by syracuse.com. According to the call, the employees work at Roberts Elementary School and Syracuse Institute of Technology. Schools have been closed since March 16. 

2:15 p.m. During a town hall meeting today, Maj. Gen Brian Mennes, commander of the 10th Mountain Division at Fort Drum, said that more than 1,000 soldiers currently deployed to Afghanistan would be coming home early due to the coronavirus. Mennes said it is likely the returning soldiers will be quarantined for 14 days so they don't spread the virus. Watch the full town hall meeting below. 

12:20 p.m. In a letter to parents, Solvay School District Superintendent Jay Tinklepaugh says a district employee has tested positive for COVID-19. He said the district has been working with the Onondaga County Health Department to identify and contact anyone who may have had contact with the employee. He said if a parent has not been notified by the health department, then their child was not exposed to the coronavirus. 

11:45 a.m. Cuomo had some stark words today, saying it's not worth risking lives to restart the economy. 

11:37 a.m. Onondaga County health officials say a person who attended the Bethany Baptist Church on Beattie Street in Syracuse has tested positive for COVID-19. Anyone who attended the church on Sunday 3/15 may have been exposed. Anyone who was in close contact with the person has been notified, but anyone who was in the building that day should watch for symptoms, including fever, cough and/or difficulty breathing until 3/29. 

11:26 a.m. New numbers: Confirmed cases are up to 25,665. 3,234 are hospitalized. 210 deaths. More than half of the cases are in New York City. 

11:22 a.m. Cuomo is pushing back at comments made by President Trump about wanting to restart the economy. "It's a false choice to say public health or restart the economy. Nobody's gonna make that choice, and by the way, if you have to make that choice it's public health. Because you cannot put a value on a human life." He says instead of sending people back to work won't work. He says you can ramp up the economy with people who are not as vulnerable to the virus while also protecting older people. "Restart our economy with our younger tested workers. We can do both, we must do both."

11:20 a.m. Cuomo is speaking with some urgency today. He warns that what is happening in New York will happen in other states. "New York is the canary in the coalmine. What is happening in New York is going to happen to California, to Washington, to Illinois," Cuomo said.

11:14 a.m. Cuomo is again calling on President Trump to utilize the federal Defense Production Act to compel companies to start making medical equipment. He says the federal government has a stockpile of 20,000 ventilators, but isn't releasing them. "New York has 25,000 cases! It has 10 times the problem that California has, that Washington has. You deploy your resources to where they are needed." 

11:09 a.m. Cuomo says even if every hospital increased their capacity by 50%, it wouldn't be enough to reach the 140,000 beds the state will need. He said he's talking to hotel owners about taking over hotels and converting them to hospitals. He's also talking to SUNY campuses about using dorms.  "But without staff, a bed is useless," Cuomo said. He's asking any retiree to help. And Cuomo said its all about equipment. The state has 7,000 ventilators, but will need 30,000." "You can't buy them, you can't find them. Everyone needs them. This is a critical and desperate need for ventilators," Cuomo said.

11:06 a.m. Cuomo said the "inescapable conclusion" is that the apex of cases in New York is higher and sooner than everyone thought. "We have to increase hospital capacity dramatically, and we have to do it now," he said.

11:02 a.m. Gov. Cuomo says the rate of new infections is going up, doubling every three days. "We're not slowing it, and it's accelerating on its own," Cuomo said. He said the number of hospital beds needed may increase from 110,000 to 140,000. The state has 53,000 beds currently. "Those are troubling and astronomical numbers, and are higher than previously expected." He says the peak may not come for another 14-21 days. 

11:00 a.m. Gov. Cuomo has begun his daily briefing. Watch live here.

9:45 a.m. Gov. Andrew Cuomo will make an announcement at 11:00 a.m. at the Javits Center in New York City. We're not sure if this will be his daily briefing, but the state, with help from the federal government, is building four temporary field hospitals inside the Javits Center, which will allow for up to 1,000 patients to be treated. We'll post the live video feed here when it becomes available. 

7:10 a.m. Good morning. As usual, Gov Cuomo will hold a briefing later this morning, as will county leaders from around the region. We'll post live video feeds when they're available. In the meantime, here's a recap of some of yesterday's stories, and a few stories that aired on WRVO this morning. 

  • The number of cases of COVID-19 in the state is over 20,000, with more than half of those in New York. That number s sure to go up when the latest numbers are announced later this morning. In Onondaga County, the number of cases is up to 53. County officials are also concerned because a person who tested positive worked at Ascioti's Market in Solvay. If anyone was at that market on 3/17, call the Onondaga County Health Department. 
  • There's growing concern over the spread of the virus in the state prison system. So far, a number of prisoners and employees have tested positive, and there's fear the virus could spread rapidly. 
  • How are schools handling distance learning during the outbreak? WRVO's Leah Landry spoke with the principal of Oswego County P-Techabout how students and teachers are coping so far. 

We'll have more news throughout the day. Stay tuned. 
Monday, March 23

7:30 p.m. Syracuse University has canceled its commencement ceremonies this year due to the coronavirus. In a note to the campus today, Chancellor Kent Syverud said he would survey students a replacement for commencement. "Very soon, all members of the class of 2020 will receive a survey from me, soliciting your input as to alternative approaches to celebrating and recognizing your academic achievement," Syverud said. "We will act quickly on your feedback and share a plan for alternative commencement celebrations promptly."

4:15 p.m. Oneida County has reported three new cases of COVID-19 today. County Executive Anthony Picente said today that of the three new cases, one is a county resident being treated in another county, one is a county resident recovering at home, and one is a resident that is currently hospitalized. There are now 10 confirmed cases in Oneida County. Watch Picente's full briefing below. 

3:45 p.m. Here is the breakdown of cases in Onondaga County by location:

  • City of Syracuse: 18
  • Salina: 8
  • Clay: 6
  • Cicero: 4
  • Onondaga: 4
  • Camillus: 3
  • Manlius: 3
  • Skaneateles: 3
  • Lysander: 2
  • Pompey: 2

3:30 p.m. Onondaga County Executive Ryan McMahon had a serious message for parents during his briefing today: stop having playdates. He said there are people having "recess parties" at local playgrounds. He said this is how the virus spreads, and people should stay home. 

3:05 p.m. There are now 53 cases of COVID-19 in Onondaga County, County Executive Ryan McMahon announced today. That's an increase of eight cases since yesterday. He said the numbers will continue to go up, because of the high number of tests done over the last several days. He said 42% of the positive cases in Onondaga County involve people under the age of 40. Officials are asking anyone who went to Ascioti's Market in Solvay on 3/17 between 12:30 p.m.-4 p.m. to contact the health department. Anyone in the store at that time may have been exposed to the coronavirus. 

3:00 p.m. Onondaga County Executive Ryan McMahon is giving his daily briefing. Watch live below.

2:45 p.m. SUNY Cortland is the latest college to postpone its commencement ceremony. In a statement today, college president Erik Bitterbaum said he hopes to reschedule the ceremony, but no new date has been set. 

2:25 p.m. Two inmates in the state prison system, along with two parolees and at least 17 employees have tested positive for the coronavirus, according to a report from North Country Public Radio. The Cuomo administration has already suspended visitation at state correctional facilities and is taking other measures to slow the spread of the virus in the state prison system. 

11:45 a.m. Centro is waiving all fares to ride its buses until further notice, including its Call-A-Bus service. Anyone who needs to ride the bus will be required to enter and exit through the rear door (for buses that have rear doors). Centro has also closed its indoor waiting areas at transit hubs in Syracuse and Utica. Centro will continue to operate its normal schedule on weekdays and weekends until further notice. 

11:23 a.m. Cuomo says people need to settle in and let this virus slow down. But he says again that people do not need to panic. "Life is going to be quieter for several months. Things will still function. You won't be at work. You won't be sitting in restaurants. Less noise can be a good thing," Cuomo said. "Many people will get this virus, but few people are truly endangered."

11:17 a.m. Cuomo talks about the impact on the state's economy. "You can't stop the economy forever," Cuomo said. He said there needs to be a discussion of whether to send people who are not vulnerable to the virus back to work. "We implemented New York Pause. We need to think about New York Forward," he said. 

11:15 a.m. New numbers: 20,875 confirmed cases, 2,635 are hospitalized, a 13% hospitalization rate. 157 people in New York have died as a result of COVID-19.

11:02 a.m. Cuomo is asking any retired healthcare professional to volunteer to help in hospitals. He says they have had 30,000 responses so far. As far as supplies, Cuomo said "We have made strides" but he says states are competing with each other for supplies and equipment. He again calls on the president to utilize the Defense Production Act, which would force a company to manufacture medical supplies during a national emergency. 

11:01 a.m. In 10 days, New York State went from testing 1,000 people per day to 16,000 per day. "We're doing more testing than anyone," Cuomo said. There are multiple drive through testing locations in the state. Cuomo is issuing an emergency order today mandating hospitals to increase their capacity by at least 50%. The state has 53,000 hospital beds. "We need 110,000," Cuomo said.

11:00 a.m. Cuomo says the key is to reduce the spread of the virus, and to increase hospital capacity. "We have taken every action government can take," Cuomo said. He says the greatest density control issue is in New York City. He said people are not practicing safe social distancing. "Young people can get it. You will get it, and you can transmit it. It is reckless."

10:45 a.m. Gov. Cuomo's briefing is underway. Watch live below. 

9:55 a.m. Gov. Andrew Cuomo will hold his daily briefing at 10:45 a.m. We'll post the live video for you to watch when it becomes available. 

7:30 a.m. Good morning. Unless you're an essential worker in New York, chances are you're at home to start the work week. All non-essential businesses are closed, people are working remotely if they can, and the number of cases of COVID-19 continues to rise. Gov. Cuomo will hold a briefing later this morning, as will other county officials. We'll post live video of the briefings when they become available. In the meantime, here are a few of yesterday's top stories.

  • Central New York's first death from the coronavirus is in Madison County. Officials there say an elderly woman with an underlying medical condition passed away as a result of contracting COVID-19. 
  • Oswego County announced its first two cases of COVID-19 yesterday. Two women, both who had been traveling, became sick after returning home. One is in her 20s, one in her 30s. 
  • The number of cases in Onondaga County is up to 45.Officials announced yesterday that 13 of the cases involve people under the age of 29. 
  • Gov. Cuomo chided New Yorkers yesterdayfor ignoring social distancing orders, especially in New York City. “I don’t know what they’re not understanding,” Cuomo said, his voice rising. “This is not life as usual. This is just a mistake! It is a mistake! It is insensitive. It is arrogant. It is self-destructive,” Cuomo said. “This is not a joke and I am not kidding.”

We'll have more updates throughout the day. Stay tuned. 
Sunday, March 22

5:00 p.m. Oswego County officials say the two people confirmed to have COVID-19 both range in age from 20-40. Oswego County has tested 104 people, 64 are being monitored under a voluntary quarantine, and 5 are under a mandatory quarantine.

4:30 p.m. Cayuga County has announced two new cases of COVID-19. Officials say the cases involve a woman in her 20s and a woman in her 30s. One of them knows the person who previously tested positive. They say there are currently 45 tests still waiting for results. 

3:20 p.m. Oneida County has announced two more positive cases of COVID-19, bringing its total to seven. Officials say one person is hospitalized. Additionally, Oswego County has announced its first two positive casesof COVID-19. Officials say they will have more information at 5 p.m.

3:05 p.m. There are 11 new cases of the coronavirus in Onondaga County, for a total of 45. County Executive Ryan McMahon said that number is likely to go up as more test results come in. He said people with confirmed cases are from all over the county. "We have a situation where we have a community spread," he said. 

Case breakdown:

  • Women: 25
  • Men: 20
  • Age 29 and under: 13
  • Ages 30-39: 6
  • Ages 40-49: 7
  • Ages 50-59: 6
  • Ages 60-69: 5
  • Ages 70-79: 7
  • Ages 80-89: 1

3:00 p.m. Onondaga County Executive Ryan McMahon is giving his daily briefing. Watch live below:

1:15 p.m. Jefferson County has reported its second case of COVID-19. In a statement, Jefferson County officials said the person is a resident of Jefferson County, and works at Carthage Area Hospital. The person is under a mandatory quarantine, and all other employees and/or patients that had been in contact with the person have been notified. Health officials say the hospital remains open. 

11:55 a.m. Madison County officials have announced a total of three positive cases of COVID-19. Officials announced one case yesterday. That person is in mandatory isolation. Officials have since had two more positive results. Both of those people had already been in isolation, but officials are contacting anyone that may have come in contact with the people who have tested positive. Full briefing from Madison County officials below. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0EBXsGXDU9w&feature=youtu.be

11:45 a.m. Cuomo says this will not be a short term situation. He says it's likely that 40-80% of people will end up contracting COVID-19. "It's going to be hard, I'm not minimizing it and I don't think you should either. But it is going to be ok," Cuomo said. "Grocery stores are going to function, there will be food. Pharmacies will be open. There's not going to be chaos. Life is going to go on. Different, but life is going to go on. There's no reason to go to the grocery store and hoard food. Toilet paper is going to be there."

11:35 a.m. New numbers as of today: 15,168 positive cases in New York with 114 deaths. 70% of those who have died were over age 70. 80% of those under 70 who have died had an underlying condition. 

11:32 a.m. Cuomo says young people need to be careful. Cuomo said 53% of cases in the state involve people between ages 18-49. Young people can get it, and they can transfer it to people who can then die from it. Cuomo said he was n New York City yesterday and saw parks full of people. "None of this is life as usual. You would think there was nothing going on. I don't know what they are not understanding. It is a mistake. It is has to stop and it has to stop now. It is not a joke and I am not kidding," Cuomo said. 

11:30 a.m. Cuomo says hospitals are being mandated to increase capacity by a minimum of 50% with the goal of 100%. All non-critical elective surgeries will be canceled as of Wednesday. "This is a matter of public health, and we're starting this today," Cuomo said. The state is also repurposing existing healthcare facilities. 

11:20 a.m. New York will start a drug trial this Tuesday using anti-malaria drugs. He says the state has secured 70,000 doses of hydroxychloroquine, 10,000 doses of zithromax and 750,000 doses of chloroquine. Cuomo said there's a good possibility this will work. "We don't know, but let's find out and let's find out quickly."

11:17 a.m. Cuomo says New York received no funding from the first coronavirus bill, due to a technical mistake in the bill. He says New York has 15 times more cases than any other state, and has the greatest need for funding. He's asking the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to erect temporary field hospitals at Stony Brook, Westbury, Westchester and the Javits Center in Manhattan. Each field hospital can serve 250 patients each, but they don't come with staff or supplies. He says in his view, construction on these hospitals can begin tomorrow. FEMA will also erect four federal hospitals at the Javits Center. These hospitals are fully staffed and equipped.

11:09 a.m. Cuomo is calling on President Trump to use the Defense Production Act to force companies to produce masks, gowns and ventilators. "If I could do it in New York, I would do it," said Cuomo. He says utilizing the DPA would save money by avoiding price gouging and competition by states and hospitals. 

11:05 a.m. Gov. Cuomo says the federal government needs to nationalize medical supply acquisition. He says states simply cannot manage it. "States are competing against other states. I'm trying to buy the same masks California is trying to buy. Masks used to cost 85 cents. Now they cost $7.00. This is just an impossible situation to manage."

10:30 a.m. Gov. Andrew Cuomo will give a briefing at 11:00 a.m. Watch live below.

7:00 a.m. Good morning, and happy Sunday. We expect Gov. Cuomo to hold a briefing later this morning, and Onondaga County Executive Ryan McMahon will hold a briefing at 3 p.m. We'll post links to watch the briefings live when they become available. In the meantime, here are a few of yesterday's top stories. 

  • Gov. Cuomo is "scouring the globe" for more ventilators to treat serious cases of COVID-19, as the number of cases continues its sharp rise. He's looking to increase the state's hospital bed capacity from 50,000 to 75,000 and is asking the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to set up four temporary field hospitals, each equipped to treat 250 patients. 
  • There was a big uptick in positive cases in Onondaga County. County Executive Ryan McMahon announced 21 new cases yesterday, primarily due to the hundreds of test results that came back. He said there will likely be another big increase in positive cases, because hundreds of more test results are due back in the next few days. 
  • Starting at 8 p.m. tonight, if you're driving on the NYS Thruway, you won't take a ticket when getting on the highway, and you won't pay cash when getting off. Instead, when exiting the Thruway, you'll tell a toll booth operator your license plate number and where you got on, and you'll be sent a bill within 30 days. 
  • All state and county-run DMV offices are closed, and road tests are suspended until further notice. A number of services are available online, but any drivers license, non-driver ID, or registration that expires after March 1 will be extended until further notice. 

Saturday, March 21

7:20 p.m. New York State is closing all state and county-run DMV offices and road tests are suspended until further notice, the state announced today. Drivers will still be able to renew drivers licenses, non-driver IDs and registrations online, but all in-person transactions are suspended. Any drivers license, non-driver ID or registration set to expire after March 1 will be extended until further notice. Th 45-day temporary registration issued by auto dealers will also be extended. A number of online transactions can still be done. Click here for the full list.

6:15 p.m. Madison County has announced its first case of COVID-19. County officials plan to say more at a press conference tomorrow morning. The person is currently under quarantine and officials are contacting anyone that may have come in contact with the person. The county has 44 tests that are pending.

3:20 p.m. Two new cases of COVID-19 are being reported in Wayne County, officials announced this afternoon. That brings the total number of cases in the county to three. Health officials say all three are being treated in area hospitals. The cases involve a female in her 80s, a male in his 70s and another male in his 60s. 

3:10 p.m. Onondaga County Ryan McMahon says there has been a big spike in cases since yesterday, due to the number of test results that came back. 700 test results came back yesterday, 21 of them positive. The county now has a total of 34 positive cases. 80 people are currently under a mandatory quarantine, and McMahon says "at least some of them will come back positive." 

Breakdown of cases:

  • 19 females
  • 15 males
  • 13 cases involved people under age 40
  • 9 cases involve people aged 40-60
  • 9 cases involve people over age 60
  • 2 people currently hospitalized

2:55 p.m. Onondaga County Executive Ryan McMahon is holding a briefing at 3 p.m. Watch live below:

2:45 p.m. Oswego County Legislature Chairman James Weatherup said today there are 91 people tested or scheduled to be tested for the coronavirus, 52 people are being monitored, but there are still no confirmed cases. County Administrator Phil Church says there is a shortage of personal protective equipment in the county. He's asking all manufacturers of apparel in the county to offer supplies to the county before selling it elsewhere.

2:30 p.m. Oswego County Chairman James Weatherup will give a statement on the coronavirus in the county at 2:45 p.m. As of noon today, Weatherup said there were still no confirmed cases in the county. Watch below:

2:15 p.m. The New York State Thruway Authority has put emergency toll procedures in place due to the coronavirus. Starting tomorrow at 8 p.m., if you do not have EZ-Pass, you will no longer collect a ticket when entering the Thruway, or pay cash when you exit. Instead, when drivers exit they will be asked where they entered the Thruway, and their license plate number. The driver will then be sent a bill within 30 days that can be paid with a credit card online. 

2:12 p.m. Broome County has reported its first death related to the coronavirus. County Executive Jason Garnar said today that a person with a newly confirmed case of the virus died at Lourdes Hospital in Binghamton. Health officials are reaching out to anyone that may have come in contact with the individual. 

12:10 p.m. During the governor's briefing, a map showed new cases in the state. Oswego County was listed as having a new case of COVID-19. But Oswego County officials say that is an error. County Legislature Chairman James Weatherup says that as of noon today, there are no confirmed cases in Oswego County. He believes two positive cases from Hastings-on-Hudson in Westchester County were mistakenly attributed to the Town of Hastings in Oswego County. County officials say they will alert the public if/when there is a confirmed case in the county.  

11:40 a.m. Cortland County has confirmed its first two cases of COVID-19. Health officials say one is a child under five, the other a person in their 50s. They are unrelated. Health officials are working to identify anyone who came in contact with the cases. 12 people in the county are under a self-quarantine and are not showing symptoms. 

11:35 a.m. Cuomo is asking therapists and psychologists to volunteer their time to help people who are struggling with the stress and anxiety of the pandemic. "It would be all electronic, over the phone or Skype. Cuomo says if enough people volunteer, the state would set up a mental health center. 

11:30 a.m. Cuomo says "We are all first responders. We are going to get through this." But he says it's going to take months, not weeks, to get through. "How long and how well it takes to get through it is up to us. It depends on what we do." 

11:26 a.m. Cuomo chides younger people who are not complying with social distancing. "You are wrong," said Cuomo. "You are not superman. You are not superwoman. You can get this virus and you can transfer this virus."

11:25 a.m. "Stop listening to rumors. There's going to be food in the grocery stores. There's no reason to buy 100 rolls of toilet paper. There's not going to be a roadblock," said Cuomo.

11:23 a.m. Cuomo says the hospitalization rate in New York is about 15%. 1,603 out of 10, 356 cases are hospitalized. 

11:18 a.m. New Numbers: total number of positive cases in New York is 10,356. Cuomo says the "hotspot" of Westchester is slowing, which is "good news," according to Cuomo. Cuomo says Oswego County has its first confirmed case. 

11:17 a.m. Cuomo says the goal is to find more positive cases. "The more tests you take, the more positives you will find," Cuomo said. New York is taking more tests per capita than China or South Korea. 45,000 tests have been conducted in New York. 

11:15 a.m. New York State is asking the federal government four field hospitals, four Army Corps of Engineers hospitals, medical supply assistance, and is asking NY's Congressional delegation to increase New York's assistance to $6 billion. Cuomo said this was due to a technical error. This is part of the major disaster declaration approved by President Trump yesterday.

11:10 a.m. Cuomo says the state is increasing hospital capacity, canceling elective surgeries, reconfiguring space, hiring more staff. The state is also looking at large sites that can be used as extra hospital space. Cuomo will visit a number of sites today. Cuomo says there is a drastic undersupply of medical supplies like masks. Apparel manufacturers in the state are being converted to make masks. 

10:30 a.m. Governor Andrew Cuomo will deliver a briefing on the coronavirus at 11 a.m. Watch live below:

7:30 a.m. Good morning. Gov. Cuomo and Onondaga County Executive Ryan McMahon will both hold briefings today. We'll post links to watch live when they're available. He's a recap of some of yesterday's top stories:

  • New York is on "pause." Gov. Andrew Cuomo is ordering all non-essential businesses shut down at 8 p.m. Sunday to try and slow the spread of the coronavirus. There are exceptions to the rule, including grocery stores, pharmacies, gas stations, and yes...liquor stores. 
  • Onondaga County has 13 confirmed cases, but officials are expecting a spike in positive cases. More than 1300 people have been tested in the county since Monday. Meanwhile, health officials want anyone who went to the America's Best Eyeglasses store on Erie Blvd. East in DeWitt recently to watch for symptoms. An employee at that store has tested positive and had interaction with customers. More information here.
  • Some counties around the state still don't have confirmed cases, but officials say it's just a matter of time. Meanwhile, President Trump has approved New York's request for a major disaster declaration. That will allow federal funding and resources to help New York's fight against the coronavirus. 

Friday, March 20

7:00 p.m. President Trump has approved New York's request for a major disaster declaration, which will provide the state with federal funding to help with the coronavirus outbreak. The approval will allow the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to provide resources and assistance. New York has more than 7,000 confirmed cases of the coronavirus. 

6:30 p.m. Central New York Rep. John Katko (R-Camillus) will hold a telephone town hall meeting on the coronavirus this coming Monday at 5:15 p.m. Katko will be joined by representatives from Upstate Medical University and the CNY Food Bank to answer questions from callers. Anyone who would like to join the call can sign up here, but you need to sign up by 12:00 p.m. Sunday. 

5:25 p.m. Tompkins County officials say 11 people have tested positive for COVID-19 and 515 individuals are in quarantine and being monitored by the county health department. There are 280 test results that are still pending.

5:20 p.m. Oswego County health officials say as of Friday afternoon, there are still no confirmed cases of COVID-19 in the county, however, some individuals are still awaiting testing and 54 people are being monitored. 

4:28 p.m. Here's just a small silver lining in all the news on the coronavirus: parking in the city of Syracuse will be free for the next 30 days. Mayor Ben Walsh says parking meter enforcement will be suspended until April 19. Walsh said eliminating meter fees will make it easier for essential employees and for carry-out food establishments to run. Other parking regulations, including alternate side, handicapped, restricted zone, and no parking, will still be enforced. 

3:20 p.m. Oswego Mayor Billy Barlow is creating a $250,000 fund to offer no-interest loans to help small businesses impacted by the health pandemic. Buinesses with fewer than 25 employees are eligible for up to $10,000 with no payments due until September 2020 and no closing costs. The applications will be available starting Monday. Barlow says the funds will be distributed to businesses within 10 days of the city's receipt of the application.

12:55 p.m. Novelis, the aluminum manufacturing plant in Oswego County, is shutting down some of its plant today due to the temporary shutdown measures that U.S. automakers are taking in response to COVID-19. The partial closure is scheduled to last until the end of the month, at which time the company will reevaluate the situation. Affected employees will be paid during the closure according to a company spokesperson. The remainder of the plant will stay open, subject to any federal or state government directives, to continue supplying aluminum for the beverage can and specialty markets.

12:40 p.m. Madison County has its first confirmed case of COVID-19. Colgate University says one of its students has tested positive for the coronavirus. The student traveled from campus to their home state on Monday. They were tested Wednesday, and got a positive result on Thursday. Health officials are working to inform anyone that came in contact with the student that they may have been exposed to the virus. 

12:15 p.m. The community testing site in Syracuse has seen over 800 people since opening on Monday. "Monday feels like a month ago, but it was Monday," said McMahon. 

12:10 p.m. Onondaga County asks anyone who went to the America's Best Contacts and Eyeglasses located at 3401 Erie Blvd East in DeWitt to watch for symptoms because an employee at that store has tested positive for COVID-19. People who were at the store at the following times may have been exposed:

  • Monday 3/9 8:30 a.m. - 5:30 p.m.
  • Tuesday 3/10 9:30 a.m. - 6:30 p.m.
  • Wednesday 3/11 10:30 a.m. - 7:30 p.m.
  • Thursday 3/12 9:30 a.m. -3:30 p.m.

12:10 p.m. Onondaga County Executive Ryan McMahon announces six new cases of COVID-19 in the county for a total of 13 cases. Two out of the 13 are hospitalized. Health Commissioner Dr. Indu Gupta says "young people are vulnerable to this disease." Several of the cases in Onondaga County are people in their 20s and 30s. 

12:05 p.m. Onondaga County Executive Ryan McMahon is delivering his daily briefing. Watch below:

11:37 a.m. Cuomo says he knows businesses and lives will be disrupted. But the reason he is doing this...is to save lives. "The philosophy that always worked for me is prepare for the worst and hope for the best. When we look back at this situation, I want to be able to say 'I did everything we could do.' This is about saving lives," he said.

11:35 a.m. Cuomo said 16 days ago, there were zero cases in New York. Today there are over 7,000. "This is why we're taking these actions today," Cuomo said.

11:25 a.m. New numbers: 7,102 confirmed cases, with 35 deaths in New York. Most of them are in New York City, but numbers are expected to continue to rise across the state. Cuomo says again, higher numbers are the result of more testing. "We have done a great job of ramping up the number of tests, but you're going to get more positive cases," Cuomo said. He said 10,000 tests were done last night. He said the rate of hospitalization is 18% (1,255 out of 7,102 cases).

11:20 a.m. Gov. Cuomo is now mandating 100% of workers stay home. Only essential services will be allowed to have workers going to work. Cuomo says people must remain indoors "to the greatest extent." "We're going to close the valve," Cuomo said. "When I talk about the most drastic action we can take, this is the most drastic action we can take."

"What you do can affect my health," Cuomo said. He says businesses that stay open will face civil fines and mandatory closures for businesses that are not in compliance.

11:15 a.m. "Ventilators, ventilators, ventilators. That is what we need," Cuomo said. Any regulated facility that has a ventilator is being asked to give it to the state, and the state will pay.

11:10 a.m. Gov. Cuomo says the state needs more hospital beds. He says capacity needs to be increased by 50%. The state is canceling all non-critical elective surgeries. He is also asking all product providers to help make more personal protective equipment for healthcare workers. "We will pay a premium for these products," Cuomo said.

11:04 a.m. Oneida County has confirmed another case of COVID-19, bringing their total to five cases, according to Oneida County Executive Anthony Picente. 

11:00 a.m. Gov. Andrew Cuomo is giving his daily briefing. Watch below:

9:45 a.m. Oswego County says it is currently monitoring 42 peoplefor possible exposure to the coronavirus. 60 county residents have been tested for COVID-19 so far, but there are no positive results as of yet. Residents with questions about the coronavirus are urged to call the county's COVID-19 hotline at 315-349-3330 between 8:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. Monday-Friday. 

7:45 a.m. If you need to get a haircut, want to get your nails done, or you need that last minute tattoo or piercing, do it today. Gov. Cuomo has ordered all barbershops, hair salons, nail salons, tattoo shops and piercing parlors close by 8 p.m. tomorrow. This is in addition to the extension of the governor's order yesterday, mandating that businesses keep at least 75% of their employees home, with certain exceptions for essential services.

7:40 a.m. Add Kohls to the list of stores closing down over the coronavirus. Yesterday, Dick's Sporting Goods, Marshalls and TJ Maxx announced they would be closing their stores for the next two weeks. Dick's will still take online orders and provide curbside pickup. Kohls will be closing its stores "through at least April 1." Employees will be paid for the next two weeks. Customers can still order items online, and items will be shipped to people's homes.  

6:30 a.m. Good morning. Before we get started for today, here are a few of yesterday's headlines:

  • The number of people statewide with the coronavirus is over 5,200 now as of last night, and that number is expected to keep growing quickly as more people get tested. 
  • There were seven confirmed cases in Onondaga County as of yesterday, but again, that number is expected to rise. The city of Syracuse is starting an interest-free loan program for small businesses affected by the coronavirus. 
  • Local musicians are also being hit hardby the coronavirus outbreak. With most public places closed, they have nowhere to play. But some are holding "virtual concerts" online. 

We'll have more updates throughout the day. 
Thursday, March 19

7:45 p.m. Remember the state's ban on single-use plastic bags? It went into effect March 1, even though it feels like a year ago. When the ban went into effect, the state DEC said it wouldn't penalize stores until April 1. That has been pushed back because of the coronavirus. An order signed in State Supreme Court this week pushes that enforcement date back to May 15. 

7:30 p.m. TJ Maxx and Marshalls stores will be closed for the next two weeks due to the coronavirus. Company CEO Ernie Herrmann said all stores and online businesses will be shut down, with some employees working remotely. 

7:00 p.m. Ontario County announced its first cases of the coronavirus today. Three people have tested positive in the Finger Lakes county. One of the cases is a student at Canandaigua Middle School. Officials say the student and their family is under quarantine and the teenager is recovering. 

4:20 p.m. Cazenovia College has extended its remote instruction period due to the coronavirus. The college will now hold classes online for the rest of the semester. All on-campus events through the rest of the semester have been canceled. Commencement ceremonies are being postponed.

SUNY Oswego has closed down to all but essential personnel. This morning, President Deborah Stanley sent a message to the campus community asking students to not come back to campus after spring break, except students with extenuating circumstances. Students who stayed on campus can remain, but most buildings on campus are closed and services will be limited. But Stanley encouraged any students left on campus to leave if they can. Stanley also said that classes would be held remotely until further notice. (Disclosure: WRVO's main studios are on the SUNY Oswego main campus. Most of our staff is working remotely during this time.)

3:55 p.m. The NYS Department of Labor says it doing its best to keep up with an unprecedented increase in the number of calls and web traffic for unemployment insurance claims. The labor department says web traffic is 400% higher than normal, and they've seen a 1000% increase in claims from some parts of the state. They are increasing server capacity to help web traffic, and shifting more people to help answer phone calls. They also plan to extend hours to allow more time for people to file. 

3:02 p.m. Onondaga County Executive Ryan McMahon and Syracuse Mayor Ben Walsh announce the creation of an emergency loan program to help small businesses stay in business. The Syracuse Economic Development Corporation (SEDCO) will be providing $500,000 worth of loans to small businesses in Syracuse affected negatively by the coronavirus. The loans will be zero interest for six months. Small businesses with less than 50 employees can apply. They are expecting most loans will be around $10,000.

“The purpose is to prevent staff reductions, allow business operations to continue, to offset losses related to the coronavirus, and help companies sponsor sick pay for workers,” Walsh said.

The program will begin Monday, March 23. Applications will be available online or by emailing business@syrgov.net.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_BK2K0DfvvQ&feature=youtu.be

12:30 p.m. Onondaga County reports another positive case of COVID-19, a man in his 30s. This brings the total number of cases in the county up to 7. County Executive Ryan McMahon will hold another briefing at 3 p.m.

12:15 p.m. A drive-up testing site for potential COVID-19 cases is opening in Watertown at the Samaritan Medical Center. It is by appointment only. In order to be tested, people must first call the Samaritan Resource Line at 315-755-3100, which is open 8 a.m.–9 p.m. 7 days a week. 

11:35 a.m. Rep. Anthony Brindisi (D-Utica) says he will self-quarantine after coming in contact with another member of Congress who has tested positive. Brindisi said he came in contact with Utah Rep. Ben McAdams, and "on the advice of the Attending Physician of the United States Congress, I will self-quarantine until March 27." Brindisi said in a statement. He said he is in good health and shows no symptoms. 

11:30 a.m. Oneida County has confirmed two new cases of COVID-19, bringing the total number of positive cases in the county to four. 

11:10 a.m. State Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie says a third member of the Assembly has tested positive for COVID-19. Kimberly Jean-Pierre tested positive yesterday after a family member became sick. Heastie said she did not have any contact with other Assemblymembers or staff, and that she is back at home under a quarantine. 

10:50 a.m. Gov. Cuomo says the state will offer 90-day mortgage relief for those with financial hardships. There will also be no fees for overdrafts, ATMs and credit card payments. (See his full briefing below).

10:45 a.m. Gov. Cuomo says the number of new cases in the state has risen to 4,152, the most in the nation. 19% of people are hospitalized. He calls this a healthcare crisis, saying there are around 5,000 ventilators in the state, and 30,000 will be needed. 

10:35 a.m. Gov. Cuomo announces that businesses in New York cannot have more than 25% of its employees in-house. Yesterday, he announced that 50% must work remotely, but he is extending it because of the continued spread of the coronavirus. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RbDC4no2DEk&feature=youtu.be

10:30 a.m. Governor Cuomo said during his daily briefing that he spoke to President Trump last night and that the government is "stepping up to the plate." 

9:55 a.m. Dick's Sporting Goods announced today that they will close all of its stores until Thursday, April 2. People can still order merchandise online and they will provide curbside pickup from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. seven days a week. 

9:40 a.m. Expect the numbers of positive cases of COVID-19 in New York to go up by a lot over the next several days. During an appearance on CNN this morning, Gov. Andrew Cuomo said New York did 8,000 coronavirus tests overnight. "We don't have the results of the 8,000 tests, but when you do 8,000 tests, the numbers are going to go up exponentially," Cuomo said. "And, again, reality in all of this, it doesn't mean that it is indicative of how many people have the virus, it is how many people you are testing. And when you do 8,000, you're going to see a major increase."

7:50 a.m. Walmart stores are changing their hours to keep up with demand due to the coronavirus. Starting today, Walmart stores will be open from 7 a.m. until 8:30 p.m. This will allow employees more time to clean and restock shelves. Walmart is also joining other grocers in allowing seniors to shop first. Starting next week, anyone age 60 and up can shop at Walmart each Tuesday an hour before the stores open for everyone else. 

7:00 a.m. Central New York Reps. John Katko (R-Camillus) and Anthony Brindisi (D-Utica) are pushing the Trump administration to issue a major disaster declaration for New York in response to the coronavirus outbreak. The two sent a letter to the administration yesterdayasking the president to issue the declaration as soon as possible. The declaration would free up federal money and resources to help the state deal with the outbreak. 14 other members of Congress from New York also signed onto the letter. 

6:50 a.m. Gov. Cuomo signed an executive order last night that requires workplaces in the state to reduce their in-person workforce by 50% by 8 p.m. Friday. Essential services are exempt from the rule, including healthcare, grocery stores, pharmacies, infrastructure, trash collection, news media, etc. You can see the full list of exceptions here.

6:40 a.m. Good morning. Here's a brief recap of some of yesterday's top stories:

  • The number of positive cases of COVID-19 in Onondaga County is up to 6. Three new cases were announced yesterday afternoon. Officials expect that number to keep climbing as more tests are done. 
  • The Central New York Community Foundation has announced the start of a fund to help nonprofits and charities that work with people affected by the coronavirus. Organizations can fill out an online form to apply for grant funding. 
  • It's an unprecedented time in Albany, as state lawmakers are still trying to get business done. Lawmakers are trying to get a simplified state budget done this week. The state budget deadline is April 1. Meanwhile, Gov. Cuomo signed into a law a bill last evening guaranteeing paid sick leave for anyone under a mandatory or precautionary quarantine because of the coronavirus.
  • Most churches around the region have canceled Sunday services, but many churches, some that run food pantries, remain open. 

We'll have more updates as the day goes on. Stay safe, and wash your hands!
Wednesday, March 18

7:45 p.m. Gov. Andrew Cuomo has signed into law a bill that will guarantee paid sick leave for anyone under a mandatory or precautionary quarantine from the coronavirus. 

7:30 p.m. Cayuga County has its first confirmed case of COVID-19. Health officials say a man in his early 30s traveling through the area felt sick and sought care in the county. The person has been quarantined since March 14, and is recovering. 

6:30 p.m. Tompkins County reported more cases of COVID-19. Health officials say there are now six positive cases. 86 people are currently under quarantine in the county and 93 tests are pending. 

4:00 p.m. The Central New York Community Foundationannounced the start of a fund meant to help local nonprofits and charities that are working with vulnerable people and those who have been hurt economically, by the coronavirus outbreak. It will focus on safety net issues like food security, housing and child care. The foundation is working on a simple online form that organizations can use to apply for the grants. The foundation is making an initial contribution of $300,000 to the fund. They are soliciting donations and anyone, including institutions and local businesses, can contribute by going to cnycf.org/covid19.

3:25 p.m. Onondaga County Executive Ryan McMahon says there are three new positive cases of COVID-19. McMahon said one is a person who traveled from New York City, one had traveled to Spain, and one is a person in their 20s. 

3:10 p.m. Gov. Andrew Cuomo is ordering that all indoor shopping malls, amusement parks and bowling alleys in the state close effective tomorrow night at 8 p.m. New Jersey, Pennsylvania and Connecticut are all doing the same. Earlier today, Onondaga County Executive Ryan McMahon ordered the closure of Destiny USA, Shoppingtown Mall and Great Northern Mall at 5:00 p.m. today.

3:00 p.m. Tops Markets is joining other chains in offering seniors the chance to shop first each day. Starting tomorrow, anyone age 60 or older can shop from 6-7:30 a.m. on Tuesday and Thursday. Price Chopper is also allowing seniors to shop exclusively from 6-7 a.m.

12:20 p.m. From earlier today, President Trump and Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau agreed to temporarily close the U.S - Canadian border to non-essential traffic. This is sure to have a big impact on parts of the North Country, where a lot of people regularly cross the border. Here's more from North Country Public Radio.

12:07 p.m. In his daily briefing, Onondaga County Executive Ryan McMahon announces a third positive case of COVID-19 in the county. McMahon said the person is a woman who was visiting New York City. She is currently recovering at home. He said this case is not related to the first two cases. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qfFbPz63eSc&feature=emb_title

11:55 a.m. Cuomo stressed during his briefing that people should not panic because the number of confirmed cases jumped so quickly. He says it's because the state is able to do more testing. 108 people who had COVID-19 and were hospitalized have recovered and have been discharged. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jnEdL8lj-hM&feature=youtu.be

11:50 a.m. Gov. Cuomo said that he will sign an executive order saying no business in New York can have more than 50% of their workforce report to work. This is a mandatory requirement. Essential services will be exempt, including grocery stores, pharmacies, shipping, etc. The full list of businesses exempt will be released later today. Cuomo said the order could be expanded if the spread of the virus doesn't slow down.

11:45 a.m. Gov. Andrew Cuomo says the number of confirmed cases of the coronavirus jumped by more than 1,000 since yesterday. As of this morning, there are 2,382 confirmed cases, with 20 deaths. Cuomo said the federal government is sending a hospital ship, the USNS Comfort to New York. It's an extra 1,000 hospital beds. 

10 a.m. President Donald Trump has announced that the U.S. - Canada border will be closed to all non-essential traffic. Trade will not be affected.

9:50 a.m. Oneida County has confirmed its second positive case of COVID-19. County Executive Anthony J. Picente Jr. will provide more information in an update briefing this afternoon at 3 p.m. in the Oneida County Legislators Chamber on the 10th Floor of the County Office Building in Utica.

8:25 a.m. Onondaga County Executive Ryan McMahon has signed an executive order closing all shopping malls in the county effective at 5:00 p.m. today. That means Destiny USA in Syracuse, Shoppingtown Mall in Dewitt and Great Northern Mall in Clay will all close. McMahon said he's ordering the malls closed in order to maintain social distancing protocols to try and slow the spread of the coronavirus. 

6:20 a.m. Cayuga County, which has no confirmed cases of the coronavirus at this time, announces that government services will continue with adjustments to ensure the safety of both staff and residents, effective today, Wednesday, March 18. Officials are asking that residents visit county offices only for time-sensitive and immediate needs. County staff should be contacted in advance of any visits to government offices, as assistance is often available over the phone or by email. The county provides information on office closures and contact information on the Cayuga County COVID-19 response website.

6:00 a.m. Good morning. Gov. Andrew Cuomo is likely to give another briefing today, and we're expecting a sharp rise in the number of people confirmed to have COVID-19, mainly because of increased testing that's being done in the state. We'll update the numbers above when they're announced. Meanwhile, here is a recap of some of the bigger stories from yesterday:

  • A part-time employee at Fort Drum has tested positive for the coronavirus.The person lives in Albany, but travels to the base for work. Jefferson, Oneida and Broome counties also announced their first cases yesterday.
  • New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio said yesterday that city residents should be prepared to "shelter in place" for 48 hours, but Gov. Cuomo said that would be a state decision and he's not considering a shelter in place order right now. 
  • Onondaga County had no new positive cases of COVID-19 yesterday, but County Executive Ryan McMahon said he expects numbers to rise quickly. That's because more than 200 people have been tested at the community test site in Syracuse, which opened Monday. He expects the results of those tests by Thursday or Friday.
  • Tompkins County reported a third case of COVID-19, and ordered all licensed daycare centers in the county to close starting today. Meanwhile, Onondaga County is making 250 daycare slots available for children of healthcare workers and first responders who are working while schools are closed.
  • Most grocery stores in the area are reducing the hours they're open so they have more time to clean and restock items. Wegmans, Tops, and Price Chopper will all be open from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. Price Chopper will allow seniors to shop exclusively from 6-7 a.m. at its stores. Dollar General stores are also instituting a policy to allow seniors to shop during the first hour after opening.

We'll have more news updates throughout the day, so keep checking in.
Tuesday, March 17

7:45 p.m. More grocery stores are adjusting their hours to try and keep up with customer demand. Earlier today, Wegmans announced it was changing its hours to 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. Tops and Price Chopper will also be open from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m., to give staff more time to clean and restock items. While Price Chopper will open at 7 a.m. to the general public, seniors can shop exclusively from 6 a.m.-7 a.m.  

7:30 p.m. Tompkins County has ordered all licensed daycare centers in the county to close starting tomorrow lasting until April 14th. Health officials say the closure is to promote social distancing and protect high-risk individuals. This comes on the same day Onondaga County announced 250 spots will be available for children of healthcare workers and first responders at county daycares.  

7:15 p.m. Jefferson County has announced its first case of COVID-19. Health officials say the person has been under a mandatory quarantine. This is the first county resident to test positive, but the second person in the county. Earlier today, a part-time Fort Drum employee, who lives in the Albany area, tested positive. 

6:30 p.m. Broome County has reported it's first positive case of COVID-19.Broome County Executive Jason Garnar said the person isn't a resident of Broome County but is being treated at a county hospital. 

5:40 p.m. Tompkins County has announced a third confirmed case of COVID-19. Health officials haven't released any information about the person, other than to say they have been in isolation since being tested. 

4:45 p.m. Monroe County has seen its first death related to COVID-19. Monroe County health commissioner Dr. Michael Mendoza said he could not release any additional details, other than to say that there were "complicating factors that contributed to the death."

3:00 p.m. Fort Drum announced that a part-time employee at the base, who lives in Albany, tested positive for COVID-19 today. The individual was most recently on base last week. The Education Center where the employee worked has been closed and base personnel are investigating whether the employee came into contact with others at Fort Drum.

3:00 p.m. Two colleges have announced that they will extend online classes through the end of the semester. Both LeMoyne and Ithaca College will continue online instruction, and Ithaca College President Shirley Collado says graduation will be postponed. She set a "target date" of August 1 for graduation.

3:00 p.m. The husband and wife in Onondaga County with COVID-19 are both doing well, according to Onondaga County Executive Ryan McMahon. The woman is in the hospital, while the husband is recovering at home. McMahon said as of now there are no other confirmed cases, but he expects that number to go up, because tests conducted at the community test site in Syracuse that opened Monday will be in by Thursday. McMahon said as of this afternoon, more than 200 people in Onondaga County have been tested. Watch his full afternoon briefing below.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=88O3e9nHFbU

2:50 p.m. In partnership with Child Care Solutions, Onondaga County Executive Ryan McMahon announced 250 prioritized slots for day care to the children of parents working in health care, nursing homes and first responders. Call 315-446-1220. Some who work in child care say it's a safer choice than being in schools, which are closed in New York State for at least two weeks.

2:30 p.m. Wegmans is adjusting its store hours again in response to the coronavirus. All stores will now be open from 7 a.m. until 10 p.m. so employees can clean and restock shelves. 

1:00 p.m. Destiny USA has announced that while it will stay open, it will operate on reduced hours starting tomorrow. The mall will be open Monday-Saturday from 11 a.m.-7 p.m. and Sunday from 11 a.m.-5 p.m. 

12:30 p.m. Dollar General has announcedit will allow seniors to shop before anyone else each morning. Starting today, the first hour of operation at each store will be open for seniors to do their shopping. Dollar General stores will also close one hour early to allow employees to clean and restock shelves. 

12:00 p.m. Hospitals in Syracuse are canceling some elective surgeries over the coronavirus. Crouse Hospital is canceling all elective procedures, and Upstate University Hospital says it will postpone all elective procedures "that can safely be postponed for up to two months." 

11:30 a.m.  A sharp increase in laid-off workers seeking unemployment benefits strained New York state’s online application system. The surge came after Cuomo announced the state is waiving its seven-day waiting period for workers to claim unemployment insurance if they have been put out of work by the coronavirus. Department of Labor spokeswoman Deanna Cohen said in an email Tuesday there were “glitches on and off due to the rapid influx of users,” but that the system was working Tuesday.

10:30 a.m. Gov. Andrew Cuomo says more closures could be coming in the future, especially for businesses and other non-essential services and organizations. He hopes to partner with more states in the area for these additional closures. There have been five new deaths in the past 24 hours, with an updated total of 12. There are now 1,374 confirmed cases in New York state.

When asked specifically about steps to quarantine or "shelter in place," as are in place in San Francisco, Cuomo indicated he is hesitant to impose something of that kind (any limiting of mobility). The governor says other options are being considered -- mainly to limit density.

10:20 a.m. Oneida County Executive Anthony Picente says the county has its first confirmed case of COVID-19. He said the person traveled abroad and has been quarantined since March 13. The person remains at home in isolation. 

10:15 a.m. Gov. Andrew Cuomo is holding a briefing on the coronavirus. Watch live here.

9:45 a.m. Syracuse University is offering free bus tickets to students who are still on campus and need to get home. Tickets will be available to students going to New York, Philadelphia, Boston, Rockaway, New Jersey and Washington, D.C. Students are being asked to take as many of their belongings with them as they can. The first buses leave at noon today.

7:45 a.m. Good morning, and happy St. Patrick's Day. Here is a recap of a few things that happened yesterday:

You can find more information by scrolling down. We'll have more updates today as events unfold. 
Monday, March 16

6:30 p.m. Gov. Andrew Cuomo signed an executive order closing schools statewide for at least two weeks beginning March 18 and ending April 1, at which time the state will reassess the situation. The state will waive the 180-day instructional requirement. As part of the order, school districts will be required to develop a plan for alternative instructional options, including distance learning; distribution and availability of meals; and daycare, with an emphasis on children whose parents are first responders and healthcare workers.

5:45 p.m. Gov. Andrew Cuomo hasissued an executive order delaying village elections in the state until April 28, the same day as the presidential primary. "Public health officials have been clear that reducing density is one of the most effective ways to stop the spread, and delaying village elections will help ensure poll workers and voters are not potentially exposed to the virus and at the same time maintain integrity in our election system," Cuomo said in a statement.

5:30 p.m. Oneida County has announced a new telephone hotline for county residents dedicated to answering questions about COVID-19. People can call 315-798-5431 for questions about the coronavirus and COVID-19.

5:00 p.m. Madison County has announced it is reducing staff at county offices. Those who can work from home, will. Non-essential services are temporarily suspended. 

4:45 p.m. The Oswego County Health Department has announced it is monitoring four people for possible exposure to the coronavirus. All four individuals are in voluntary isolation, and are being monitored for symptoms. No one in Oswego County has tested positive for the virus as of yet. 

4:35 p.m. The Onondaga County Sheriff's Department has announced it will end visitation at the Onondaga County Justice Center and the Jamesville Correctional Facility. Additionally, the sheriff's department will cut back on non-essential services. It will suspend the issuance of police/accident reports, Sheriff's ID cards, fingerprinting services and pistol permit services. 

4:30 p.m. St. Joseph's Health is further limiting visitors to try and slow the spread of the coronavirus. As of tomorrow, no visitors will be allowed in most areas of the hospital. There are exceptions, like in the mother/baby unit. See the full list of exceptions

4:07 p.m. Tompkins County health officialssay they have a second confirmed case of COVID-19 in the county. Health officials didn't give any information about the person, other than the person has been in isolation since being tested. 

3:30 p.m. Onondaga County has announced a second case of COVID-19 in the county. Health officials say the husband of the first confirmed case has also tested positive. He is currently at home and in isolation. 

3:20 p.m. Onondaga County Executive Ryan McMahon announced today that effective at the close of business tomorrow, 50% of county employees will work from home until April 1. Additionally, all county libraries will close at 4 p.m. today, and the Rosamond Gifford Zoo will close effective at 4 p.m. today. All recreational programs at Onondaga County parks are canceled through the end of April, and all buildings and bathrooms at county parks are closed immediately. 

2:45 p.m. Syracuse University will transition to online classes for the remainder of the semester due to the coronavirus. Students who reside on campus have been told to make arrangements to depart for their permanent residence as soon as practically possible. The University pledged to assist students with this process, including those who need help with transportation and those who have no alternate residence available.

1:45 p.m. Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announces that the country is closing borders to people who are not citizens or permanent residents, with some exceptions. CBC News reports that U.S. citizens will be exempt from Canada's border restrictions. Only a handful of airports in Canada will allow incoming international flights.

11:30 a.m. Gov. Andrew Cuomo announces new state numbers for coronavirus cases in New York. The new number of positive coronavirus cases in New York state is 950. There have been 7 COVID-19 related deaths. The few schools across New York state that remain open will be closed by Wednesday, according to the governor. More guidance on specifics will be announced this afternoon.

10:20 a.m. Gov. Andrew Cuomo announces a "common set of rules" in New York, Connecticut and New Jersey to combat the spread of the coronavirus, including no gatherings of more than 50 people. The following establishments will be closed as of 8 p.m.: gyms, casinos and movie theaters. Bars and restaurants may only provide take out. The governor will provide a live update on the coronavirus at 10:45 a.m. You can watch Cuomo's latest updates online. 

10:10 a.m. Onondaga County has its first confirmed cased of the coronavirus. Schools in the county will be shut down as of 4 p.m. today. According to County Executive Ryan McMahon, the individual has extensive medical history.

Scheduled for 10 a.m. Onondaga County Executive Ryan McMahon is providing an update on the coronavirus in the County Executive Conference Room at the civic center in downtown Syracuse this morning. Gov. Andrew Cuomo is also holding a conference call with New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy and Connecticut Governor Ned Lamont. We'll keep you up-to-date on developments from these events.

8:25 a.m. WBFO is reporting that Tops Friendly Markets learned late Saturday evening that one associate who works out of the corporate headquarters in Williamsville, NY, near Buffalo, tested positive for COVID-19, but their offices remain open. The individual is under self-quarantine and had "limited contact with fellow co-workers at the corporate office," according to officials.

7 - 7:45 a.m. Gov. Andrew Cuomo appears on multiple morning news shows to reiterate his belief that national standards need to be implemented to reduce the spread of the coronavirus. He also pushed again for federal assistance in increasing hospital capacity -- a point he made yesterday in his briefing and in an op-ed in the New York Times. Cuomo, on MSNBC's "Morning Joe" said he will announce more density control measures to combat the spread of the virus today, but the hospital system is still his focus.

6:15 a.m. A community testing site for the coronavirus opens today in Syracuse. It's located at the Syracuse Community Health Center on South Salina Street. It is primarily for people who do not have insurance or a primary care doctor. Anyone who thinks they need a test must first call a triage hotline set up by Upstate University Hospital. Volunteers will screen people and tell them if they should be tested. You can reach the hotline 24 hours a day by calling 315-464-3979.  

6:10 a.m. Good morning. We'll continue to keep you updated here on the latest developments around the region. Be sure to scroll down for earlier updates. Most schools around central and northern New York are either closed as of today or will be closed by the end of this week. Madison County declared a state of emergency yesterday and all schools in the county will be closed by the end of the week. New York City announced last night that all bars, restaurants, cafes, movie theaters and clubs will be closing to try and slow the spread of the coronavirus. Restaurants will still be open for take out and delivery. 

Sunday, March 15

A reminder that many schools around central and northern New York have decided to close. Please scroll down for updates. 

10:40 p.m. The New York State Workers’ Compensation Board (WCB) is encouraging those who need to contact them to do so by phone, email and/or attorney (if applicable), limiting in-person visits to WCB offices. Additionally, some offices are closed to the public starting Monday, March 15 – mainly downstate. Updates and additional guidance can be found on the WCB website.

7:30 p.m. Official numbers from the state have not yet been updated, but Monroe County is reporting eight new cases of the coronavirus, bringing the total there to 10. Erie County is reporting four new cases, bringing the total there to seven. 

7:00 p.m. Manlius Pebble Hill School will be closing immediately over concerns of the coronavirus. The school was expected to close starting Tuesday. Meanwhile, West Genesee schools will be open Monday, then closed Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday, but will be open for a half day Friday. Superintendent David Billssaid that Monday, staff and students will prepare for "altered instruction." Then on Friday, students will pick up materials needed for remote learning. Schools will be closed through at least April 14. 

5:00 p.m. Syracuse University has announcedthat only essential faculty and staff should report to campus starting Tuesday, lasting until at least March 30. Faculty and staff not required to report to campus can work remotely. 

4:15 p.m. Cortland County and Wayne County have each declared states of emergency and will close their schools starting Wednesday, March 18, lasting until at least April 14. 

2:30 p.m. Madison County Chairman John Becker has declared a state of emergency in the county, allowing schools to close "if they so choose." So far, Madison, Morrisville-Eaton and Stockbridge Valley schools will close starting tomorrow. Chittenango schools will close starting Tuesday.  

2:15 p.m. Tompkins County officials announced yesterday that it had a confirmed case of the coronavirus. Today, health officials say that the individual is a member of the Ithaca College community. The individual is in mandatory isolation at their home and became symptomatic March 5, right before the start of Ithaca College's spring break. Health Department officials say they are in daily contact with 12 individuals who were possibly exposed to the individual on March 5 or later, and have not said if the person is a student, faculty or staff member. Tompkins County Public Health Directo Frank Kruppa says officials do not believe there is any general risk to the community. 

2:10 p.m. Oswego County Legislature Chairman James Weatherup has declared a state of emergency in the county, and has ordered all public and private K-12 schools in the county to close starting tomorrow, lasting until April 14. Weatherup says there are no confirmed cases of the coronavirus in the county, and that this is being done out of an abundance of caution. 

1:35 p.m. In his daily briefing, Onondaga County Executive Ryan McMahon said there are still no confirmed cases of the coronavirus in the county. A triage hotline set up by Upstate University Hospital for people to call if they have questions about the coronavirus, or if they have symptoms and want to be tested, has seen more than 200 calls in 24 hours. The hotline is primarily for people who are uninsured or do not have a primary care doctor. People can call 315-464-3979, and will be told if they should be tested. Those without a primary care doctor or insurance will then be told to go to the Syracuse Community Health Center for testing, which will open tomorrow. McMahon says "the anxiety is real and we feel it every day. Take a break. Go take a walk." 

1:07 p.m. A question from our capitol correspondent Karen DeWitt to Gov. Cuomo: If you're asking the private sector to stay home, why not state government? Why continue the legislative session? Cuomo says "Government is an essential operation. Government must function. If we can ask nurses to put on a hazmat suit and take blood, we can ask elected officials to sit at a desk and vote on legislation."

1:06 p.m. The state DMV will move to appointment only starting tomorrow to limit crowds. People can request an appointment online. 

1:05 p.m. Cuomo says the most important thing is to increase hospital capacity. "I don't have the ability to turn SUNY dorms into hospitals. The US Army Corps of Engineers does. Cuomo is calling on President Trump to mobilize the military "to help save lives." He said "We have no option, otherwise we will be sitting here 9 weeks, 10 weeks, 13 weeks from now seeing a healthcare system overrun," Cuomo said.

12:55 p.m. Gov. Cuomo says the number of people tested for the coronavirus in New York is up to 5,272. The number of confirmed cases is up to 729, with 3 deaths. A 79-year-old woman with multiple underlying issues contracted the coronavirus and has died from it. 137 people with the coronavirus are currently hospitalized, 65 are in intensive care. 

12:50 p.m. Gov. Cuomo says schools are closing, but it's not that easy to close school. "For many people, school is childcare." He says meals are an important concern for people, because breakfast and lunch are the most important meals for a lot of children. "If you can address those concerns, then close the schools," Cuomo said. He also said he can't have essential workers, like police, fire and healthcare workers staying home because their kids have nowhere to go.

12:45 p.m Gov. Cuomo is asking private businesses to "aggressively consider" work from home strategies or voluntary closing. "We may consider mandatory action later on." If the private sector does not respond voluntarily, he would consider mandatory measures. Cuomo is asking all non-essential state employees from Rockland County south to work from home. 

12:40 p.m. Gov. Andrew Cuomo said the way to slow the spread of the coronavirus is to increase testing, and to reduce the density of public places. He's concerned that the hospital system will soon be overwhelmed with cases. "We are looking at a new war that we have never seen before." He said 80% of the 3,000 ICU beds in the state are already occupied. He said the state needs to build more hospital capacity now, which has never been done before. 

12:30 p.m. Gov. Cuomo is holding a briefing from Albany. Watch live here.

12:00 p.m. In an op-ed in the New York Times, Gov. Cuomo called on President Donald Trump to authorize states to expand testing capabilities, set federal standards for shutting down commerce and schools, and mobilize the military to bolster medical treatment capabilities. “States cannot build more hospitals, acquire ventilators or modify facilities quickly enough,” Cuomo wrote, saying the expertise and equipment of the Army Corps is “our best hope.” Read the full op-ed here.

11:00 a.m. At least one central New York grocery store is closing indefinitely due to a lack of supplies. syracuse.com reports that the Aldi on Route 57 in Clay will close today at noon, and a sign on the door says "we do not have a reopen date currently, but other Aldi locations are open 9 a.m. - 8 p.m."

10:15 a.m. Tops markets have revised their schedule, and will now be closed from 11 p.m. to 6 a.m. for cleaning and restocking. Tops had originally announced they would close its stories from 1 a.m. to 6 a.m.

10:00 a.m. In a tweet this morning, Gov. Andrew Cuomo is asking people to stay home. "The decision each of us makes now will impact us all tomorrow. STAY HOME," he said. 

9:00 a.m. Here's a great article from NPR and how it's not only important to wash our hands, but to also keep surfaces clean, including our phones!

8:30 a.m. More schools in Madison County will be closing because of the coronavirus. Chittenango schools will close starting Tuesday, March 17. Superintendent Michael Eiffe says school will be open tomorrow so students can pick up learning materials for an extended time. Eiffe says the closure is "indefinite at this time." Schools in the Madison school districtwill be closed starting Monday and lasting until at least April 13. 

8:00 a.m. Walmart is joining other grocery store chains in closing overnight for cleaning and restocking. Many stores are having a hard time keeping items in stock, so Walmart stores normally open 24 hours will close at 11 p.m. and reopen at 6 a.m.

7:45 a.m. Good morning. It's Sunday, and that means a lot of people will be headed to church today. A lot of churches have canceled services, so be sure to check with your local church to see if they are still holding services. The Syracuse Catholic Diocese will still be holding mass, but Bishop Douglas Lucia has dispensed Catholics from the obligation to attend Sunday mass until further notice. The Bishop urges anyone who doesn't feel well to stay home. 

Saturday, March 14

9:40 p.m. Gov. Andrew Cuomo said tonight that two members of the State Assembly have tested positive for COVID-19. Helene Weinstein and Charles Barron have not been in Albany since early March and have had little to no contact with their staffs or constituents. Cuomo said the Capitol and legislative office building will undergo intensive cleaning, and the Capitol will be closed to visitors effective tomorrow.  
 

8:00 p.m. Cayuga County has declared a state of emergency, and all schools in the county will be closed through at least April 13. In Onondaga County, three school districts have announced they will close their schools immediatly, rather than wait until March 20. Skaneateles interim superintendent Dr. Jeffery Bryant said "because our affiliated educational extension center is the Cayuga-Onondaga BOCES located in Auburn. This means the Skaneateles Central School District will be required to follow the closing directive from that Cayuga County." In the Fayetteville-Manlius school district, superintendent Craig Tice has decided to close schools starting March 16 "out of an abundance of caution." Jordan-Elbridge schools will also close as of Monday. Superintendent James Froio said teachers will begin distance learning this week. 

7:40 p.m. 3 cases of the coronavirus are now confirmed in Erie County, according to Gov. Andrew Cuomo in a telephone briefing with reporters. The total number of cases in New York is up to 613. 

7:30 p.m. A second person is confirmed to have died from COVID-19, the disease connected to the coronavirus.An 82-year-old woman who had advanced emphysema died Friday at Wyckoff Medical Center in Brooklyn, where she had been in critical condition after being admitted last week, New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio said. Hours later, authorities in Rockland County confirmed that a 65-year-old with “other significant health problems” had died Thursday after contracting the virus. Gov. Andrew Cuomo said he believes thousands of New Yorkers — perhaps tens of thousands — already have the disease. The true number of people with the virus in the state is unknown because testing is still being done across the U.S. on a very limited basis. “It has already spread much more than you know,” Cuomo said on a conference call with reporters. “The infection rate will be massive.”

5:15 p.m. Onondaga County Executive Ryan McMahon has declared a state of emergency effective immediately, and says all schools in the county will close as of Friday, March 20 (See McMahon's full briefing below). McMahon says if there is a confirmed case of the coronavirus in the county, schools will close as of Wednesday, March 18. Schools will stay close until at least April 14. All non-essential school programs, including athletics, are canceled immediately. McMahon says the delay in closing is to give parents time to prepare for schools to close. If any parent doesn't feel comfortable having their child go to school, they can keep them home as of Monday and will not face repercussions. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jeqn2kOmmxY

5:10 p.m. All public schools in St. Lawrence County will close through April 17, joining nearly all other schools in the North Country. 

4:45 p.m. Gov. Andrew Cuomo has signed an executive order ending the petitioning  process at 5 p.m. Tuesday, March 17 for candidates in the June primaries for Congress, state Senate, Assembly and judicial races. Candidates will only need to gather 30% of the statutory threshold. For Congress, candidates would need 375 signatures rather than 1,250. For State Senate, candidates would need 300 signatures rather than 1,000. For Assembly, candidates would only need 150 signatures rather than 500.

4:20 p.m. All schools in Jefferson and Lewis counties will close until at least April 17, according to WWNY-TV in Watertown. this includes Adirondack School District and Town of Webb schools. Teachers and staff will still report. This closes nearly every district across the North Country, after all 31 districts in Warren, Washington, Saratoga, Essex and Hamilton counties announcing today they will close until April 19.

4:00 p.m. Broome County Executive Jason Garnar has declared a state of emergency over concerns from the coronavirus. All schools in Broome County will be closed as of Monday, lasting until at least Monday, April 13. 

3:00 p.m. The Utica Zoo announced that it will close at 5 p.m. today, and will remain closed until at least March 31. All programs and activities scheduled at the zoo over the next two weeks will be canceled. 

2:45 p.m. After declaring a state of emergency this morning, Monroe County Executive Adam Bello announced this afternoon that all schools in the county, including the Rochester City School District will close as of Monday "until further notice." The closing includes all athletics and other extracurricular activities. Bello said school leaders and county officials will be reviewing things on a week-to-week basis to determine when it is safe to reopen schools. 

2:00 p.m. Tioga County has its first confirmed case of the coronavirus. County officials say they are looking into who the person may have had contact with. Public schools in Tioga County will be closed until mid-April.

1:45 p.m. Two school districts in Madison County will close until at least next month. Morrisville-Eaton schools and Stockbridge Valley will close starting Monday, lasting through April 14. 

1:30 p.m. Price Chopper will join other grocery store chains like Wegmans and Tops and close its stores overnight for cleaning and restocking. Wegmans stores will close from midnight to 6 a.m., Tops and Price Chopper stores will close from 1 a.m. to 6 a.m.

1:00 p.m. The state Department of Corrections and Community Supervision (DOCCS) announced that as of 5 p.m. today, visitation at all correctional facilities will be suspended until at least April 11. 

12:08 p.m. Upstate University Hospital has set up a COVID-19 public triage line. If you do not have a primary care doctor or are uninsured, call 315-464-3979 and someone will tell you if you should be tested. The number is staffed starting at noon today, and will be available from 7 a.m. until 11 p.m each day. If you are told you should be tested, go to the Syracuse Community Testing Site on South Salina St. in Syracuse. But if you do have a primary care doctor or are insured, your first call should be to your healthcare provider. Onondaga County Executive Ryan McMahon says because the guidelines for testing continue to change, "as of today, if you are not sick, you won't be tested."

12:00 p.m. Onondaga County executive Ryan McMahon, in his daily update, says schools in Onondaga County are still open for now, but discussions are being held with district officials. 

10:55 a.m. Tompkins County is reporting its first confirmed case of the coronavirus. County officials say the person has been isolated since they were tested and that county health officials have been investigating whether there have been any other exposures. Monroe County has reported its second case of the coronavirus. County Executive Adam Bello said this morning it involves a woman in her 60s who is currently hospitalized. Bello has declared a state of emergency in Monroe County. 

10:30 a.m. New York has its first death related to the coronavirus. Gov. Andrew Cuomo said the victim was an 82-year-old woman in Brooklyn who was previously suffering from emphysema. Cuomo said it's important to remember that most cases of COVID-19 are mild, and this person had an underlying condition. “Is it accurate to say that she passed away and she had the coronavirus? Yes,” Cuomo said. “It’s also accurate to say she had the coronavirus and was 82-years-old and had long been suffering with emphysema.” Cuomo also said the number of confirmed cases is up to 524, and the number of cases is expected to rise rapidly as more testing is done. The governor also encouraged people to take advantage of telemedicine, and that health insurers will be required to waive co-pays for it. 

8:45 a.m. The Department of Defense has issued restrictions on domestic travel for all active duty members and civilian personnel, and their families starting Monday, according to Stars and Stripes. This will affect the more than 15,000 soldiers, civilians and their families currently stationed at Fort Drum in northern New York.

Friday, March 13

6:45 p.m. Tompkins County has declared a state of emergency and all public schools, including the Ithaca City School District, will be closed for the next month."While we do not take this decision lightly, we feel that this is in the long-term best interest of our community as we work together with our partners to navigate these uncharted waters," said Tompkins County Administrator Jason Molino.

6:30 p.m. The city of Syracuse announced that all meetings held in Common Council chambers will be held online or through conference calls. Meetings are streamed on the city's YouTube channel.

5:30 p.m. Onondaga County announcedthat starting Monday, it will open a community testing center at the Syracuse Community Health Center at 819 S. Salina St. County Executive Ryan McMahon said the site is primarily for people who do not have a primary care doctor. People who wish to be tested must first call a hotline being set up by Upstate University Hospital. The number for the hotline will be released Saturday. 

5:00 p.m. Oneida County has declared a state of emergency and has closed all public schools until April 14. Schools in Herkimer County will also be closed until April 14. Notre Dame elementary and high schools in Utica will be closed until April 14. Manlius Pebble Hill School will close and students will take classes online starting Tuesday. Syracuse Hebrew Day School will close and students will take online classes starting Monday. 

4:30 p.m. Wegmans announced many stores will be closing between midnight and 6 a.m. for cleaning and restocking. Tops Markets that are open 24 hours will close from 1 a.m. to 6 a.m. for cleaning. 

3:30 p.m. Cornell University announced it is suspending classes as of today, two weeks earlier than planned. Cornell President Martha Pollack had previously announced that classes would move online for the rest of the semester after the university's spring break, which runs March 28-April 6. But Pollack said today it is ending classes now, and classes will resume online April 6.

1:00 p.m. Charter Communications says it will offer free Spectrum internet and wifi for households with K-12 and/or college students that currently are not Spectrum subscribers for 60 days. Charter says it will partner with school districts to ensure local communities are aware of these tools to help students learn remotely.

12:00 p.m. New York state opened its first drive-through coronavirus testing center Friday in hard-hit New Rochelle, aiming to break a testing bottleneck that Gov. Andrew Cuomo called a crisis. The six-lane testing center will soon handle 500 people a day, with priority given to residents of the New York City suburb and surrounding Westchester County, which has been at the center of a cluster of virus cases, Cuomo said.

Earlier stories from WRVO and NPR can be found here.