The number of confirmed coronavirus cases on Long Island has doubled to more than 200,000 in slightly more than two month’s time, New York State health data shows.

Nassau County has 96,112 diagnosed Covid-19 cases and Suffolk County has 106,061 for a total of 202,173 for the region as of Tuesday, according to the state Department of Health. The number of cases on LI had crossed the 100,000 mark on Nov. 1, nine months after the first case was confirmed in the region.

“In 31 days we saw the highest number of new cases since the beginning of this crisis and suffered 100 more deaths than we experienced in the prior six months combined,” Suffolk County Executive Steve Bellone said. “With distribution of the vaccine underway, the goal line is in sight but we must remain vigilant in the weeks and months ahead.”

New York State recently tallied more than 1 million cases of the virus, which is also double what it had about two months ago. As of Wednesday, there were 1,057,676 cases in the Empire State, 21 million nationwide, and 86 million worldwide.

The infection rate on the Island was 9.6 percent as of Monday and the statewide rate is 7.9 percent, according to Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s office.

Also as of Tuesday, Covid-19 cases in which patients died rose to 10,965 in New York State, 360,693 nationwide, and 1.8 million worldwide. Those included 4,833 on LI: 2,445 in Nassau, and 2,388 in Suffolk.

The rise in cases comes as the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said it had administered 5,306,797 first doses of COVID-19 vaccines in the country as of Wednesday morning and distributed 17,288,950 doses.

The tally of vaccine doses distributed and the number of people who received the first dose are for both Moderna and Pfizer/BioNTech, vaccines as of 9 a.m. Wednesday, the agency said.

According to the tally posted on Jan. 5, the agency had administered 4,836,469 first doses of the vaccines and distributed 17,020,575 doses.

A total of 3,416,875 vaccine doses were distributed for use in long-term care facilities and 511,635 people in the facilities got their first dose, the agency said.

-With Reuters

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Suffolk County reported Wednesday the most new coronavirus cases in one day since the pandemic began nine months ago, officials said.

New York State data showed Suffolk had 1,650 new cases while Nassau County had 1,273.

“To put it simply, today’s COVID-19 numbers are shocking,” Suffolk County Executive Steve Bellone said. “Not only is this the highest number of new cases reported since the onset of the pandemic, but the double-digit positivity rate puts us right back to where we were in early May.”

Suffolk’s positivity rate was 12.8 percent, triple what is was on Dec. 1, while Nassau’s infection rate is 10.5 percent, double what it was a month ago and the highest since the reopening.

“Our numbers continue to move in the wrong direction and the last thing we want is to have our businesses and schools close when we are so close to having large-scale vaccine distribution,” Nassau County Executive Laura Curran said. “We need to all stick to our commonsense guidance to avoid welcoming the new year with new restrictions. I urge residents to celebrate the New Year responsibly so we can enter 2021 with a clear path to our recovery.” 

Bellone also urged New Year’s Eve revelers to celebrate responsibly.

“We are the only ones who can change these numbers,” he said. “We have seen this virus spread during the holiday season through small gatherings in homes where people are more likely to let their guard down. As we approach New Year’s Eve, I urge Suffolk County residents to limit gatherings and to do what we know works: wear face coverings and socially distance.”

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The coronavirus infection rate continues to rise on Long Island as local officials sound the alarm that the public must remain vigilant and not get complacent about efforts to curb the pandemic.

As of Tuesday, Nassau County officials reported the latest infection rate is 5.8 percent, the highest it’s been in months, and Suffolk County officials said its latest positivity rate was 6.5 percent. New York State officials said the infection rate for the Long Island region was 5.68 percent as of Monday.

“Today’s news about impending [Food and Drug Administration] approvals for Covid-19 vaccines is monumental, but we must not allow it to lull us into a false sense of complacency,” Nassau County Executive Laura Curran said Tuesday. “Our data is beginning to show a more even distribution of disease activity among all age-groups across the county. We have now reached a clear point of community spread, which calls for increased vigilance from all of us.”

There were 135,519 confirmed Covid-19 cases on Long Island — 69,024 in Suffolk and 66,495 in Nassau as of Tuesday, state date shows. There were 722,464 cases statewide, 15.1 million nationwide, and 68.3 million worldwide as of Wednesday, according to Johns Hopkins University. 

Suffolk saw four straight days of more than 1,000 cases per day last week, and Bellone noted the county saw only 12 days of more than 1,000 new cases per day during the peak of the first wave in the spring. Suffolk had another 1,164 new cases on Monday compared to Nassau’s 863. Bellone reiterated that small gatherings remain the largest risk of spreading the virus, besides not wearing a mask or practicing social distancing.

“I cannot stress enough the dangers posed by small indoor gatherings,” Bellone said. “Just because you are in your home with people you trust does not mean you are safe. If we don’t change our behaviors quickly our hospital system will be at risk of being overwhelmed and we will lose more lives.”

Suffolk reported that as of Saturday there were 359 patients hospitalized and 57 patients in intensive care units. Nassau’s hospitals are reporting 343 Covid-19 patients, 50 in ICU, and 34 intubated, officials said. LI had 18 percent of its hospital beds available and 25 percent of its intensive care unit beds available on a seven-day average as of Tuesday, state data shows.

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Four restaurants in Suffolk County and to more in Nassau County recently had their liquor licenses suspended after authorities said the businesses violated New York State-issued coronavirus restrictions. 

The eateries were Rockwell’s Bar & Grill in Smithtown, Station Pub in Sayville, Buen Ambiente in Patchogue, Best Pizza and Dive Bar in Amagansett, Bachata in Hempstead, and Cabo Sports Bar & Mexican Grill in New Hyde Park, officials said.

“As we move into the colder weather and are forced indoors, it is imperative that businesses stay compliant across the state,” State Liquor Authority (SLA) Chair Vincent Bradley said. “New Yorkers must continue wearing masks, practicing social distancing, and following the life-saving protocols put into place to keep us all healthy.”

The six local establishments were among 36 statewide that had their licenses suspended for alleged violations in recent weeks. They are among 279 that have faced similar action since the pandemic restrictions began.

At Rockwell’s Bar & Grill, investigators said they spotted patrons standing, drinking, and walking without facial coverings in the packed bar on Nov. 20, shortly after prior violations were issued there.

On the same date at Station Pub, investigators similarly spotted mask-less patrons walking around, no evidence of food being served as required to be served alcoholic beverages, and a bartender not wearing a facial covering. The bar was also allegedly after the state-mandated 10 p.m. closing time.

“The owner refused to wear a facemask and became belligerent with investigators, refusing to provide the establishment’s liquor license or his ID — both serious violations,
independent of Covid-related rules,” authorities said in a statement.  A GoFundMe campaign was started to help raise money to pay the fines, calling the bar’s closure “a loss to all in this community.”

On Nov. 18, investigators found 43 patrons crowded inside Cabo Sports Bar & Mexican Grill, which has a maximum occupancy of 25 under Covid-related regulations, and documented numerous patrons and employees without masks, tables improperly spaced, and a complete disregard for social distancing protocols. When the investigator returned at 10:30 p.m., the patrons were still drinking, congregating, and smoking hookah.

At Buen Ambiente, Suffolk County police responded to a shooting on Oct 24. While reviewing surveillance video, the restaurant was found to have hosted a large event with more than 50 people standing shoulder-to-shoulder, drinking, dancing and smoking hookah, with two exotic dancers performing lap dances, according to the SLA. Two people were treated at a local hospital for treatment of gunshot wounds.

At Best Pizza and Dive Bar, plainclothes officers from the East Hampton Town Police
Department entered the establishment and observed about 20 patrons seated
at and standing around the crowded bar, mingling, ignoring social distancing, and not
wearing masks on Nov. 15, authorities said. No food was served with alcoholic beverages, they added. And bartenders also continually removed their facial coverings to talk to patrons, officials added.

Lastly, at Bachata, Hempstead village police and the Nassau County Fire Marshalls Office discovered 71 patrons packed inside the premises, many crowding around the bar, despite a maximum occupancy of 44 on Nov. 8. In addition to patrons ignoring social distancing rules, three employees were observed working without facial coverings and no food of any kind was observed being served, according to the SLA.

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