At least 1,000 more Long Islanders died of coronavirus in two weeks, bringing the region’s COVID-19 pandemic death toll to more than 3,000, New York State Department of Health data shows.
As of Sunday, Nassau County lost 1,770 residents to the virus and Suffolk County lost 1,256, according to the state data. Gov. Andrew Cuomo has said the state data only includes those who died in hosptials and nursing homes and doesn’t include people who succumbed to the disease at home.
“Our thoughts and prayers to all of the families who have been affected by this virus,” Suffolk County Executive Steve Bellone said. “We are thinking about you, we are you with you.”
The death toll rose to 19,189 statewide, 67,686 nationwide, and 247,838 worldwide.
The rate of increase is slowing on Long Island, where fatailties had doubled from 1,000 to 2,000 in about a week in April. The latest milestone comes seven weeks after the first confirmed coronavirus fatality on LI was reported on March 16.
Minorities continued to make up a disproportionate amount of those lost in the Empire State. Thirty-four percent were Hispanic, 28 percent were black, 27 percent were white, and 7 percent were Asian.
The majority of those who died of coronavirus is still seniors. Eighty-four percent of New Yorkers who died of the disease were older than 60. The top three underlying medial conditions of coronavirus victims remains hypertension, diabetes, and hyperlipidemia.
As for overall confirmed coronavirus cases, the Island’s tally increased Sunday to 71,635, with 36,780 in Nassau and 34,855 in Suffolk. That doesn’t include nearly a half million Long Islanders believed to have contracted COVID-19 and recovered at home prior to getting tested, according to preliminary state study results. Long Island’s first confirmed case was March 5 and its first suspected case was Feb. 7.
There were 316,415 confirmed cases statewide, 1.1 million nationwide, and 3.5 million worldwide.
Sign up for Long Island Press’ email newsletters here. Sign up for home delivery of Long Island Press here.
Related Story: LI Coronavirus Cases Appear To Be Declining From Plateau
Related Story: Nearly A Half Million Long Islanders May Have Had Coronavirus, Study Finds
Related Story: NY, Nassau, And Suffolk Launch Coronavirus Tracker Maps
For more coronavirus coverage, visit longislandpress.com/coronavirus
