Wednesday, September 21, 2022

Governor Hochul Updates New Yorkers on State's Progress Combating COVID-19 - SEPTEMBER 21, 2022

 COVID-19 Vaccine Vials

Governor Encourages New Yorkers to Keep Using the Tools to Protect Against and Treat COVID-19: Vaccines, Boosters, Testing, and Treatment

Governor Encourages New Yorkers To Get the Flu Shot To Protect Against the Coming Flu Season

11 Statewide Deaths Reported Yesterday


 Governor Kathy Hochul today updated New Yorkers on the state's progress combating COVID-19. 

"With tomorrow marking the official start of the fall season, I remind all New Yorkers to take the necessary steps to better protect themselves against COVID-19," Governor Hochul said. "Take advantage of the latest tools and resources at our disposal in order to keep our families and our communities safe. Test before gatherings or travel and if you test positive, talk to your doctor about potential treatment options."

Governor Hochul continues to urge New Yorkers to get their bivalent COVID-19 vaccine boosters from Pfizer-BioNTech for anyone age 12 or older and from Moderna for those 18 or older. To schedule an appointment for a booster, New Yorkers should contact their local pharmacy, county health department, or healthcare provider; visit vaccines.gov; text their ZIP code to 438829, or call 1-800-232-0233 to find nearby locations.

In addition, Governor Hochul is encouraging New Yorkers to get their annual flu vaccine as flu season approaches. The flu vaccine is recommended for almost everyone 6 months and older. The flu virus and the virus that causes COVID-19 may simultaneously spread this fall and winter, so getting vaccinated against both is the best way to stay healthy and to avoid added stress to the health care system. 

For information about flu vaccine clinics, contact the local health department or visit Vaccines.gov/find-vaccines.  

Today's data is summarized briefly below:

  • Cases Per 100k - 28.51
  • 7-Day Average Cases Per 100k - 22.45
  • Test Results Reported - 82,530
  • Total Positive - 5,571
  • Percent Positive - 6.19%**
  • 7-Day Average Percent Positive - 6.48%**   
  • Patient Hospitalization - 2,162 (+60)
  • Patients Newly Admitted - 439
  • Patients in ICU - 230 (+6)
  • Patients in ICU with Intubation - 82 (+5)
  • Total Discharges - 342,997 (+340)
  • New deaths reported by healthcare facilities through HERDS - 11
  • Total deaths reported by healthcare facilities through HERDS - 57,979

** Due to the test reporting policy change by the federal Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and several other factors, the most reliable metric to measure virus impact on a community is the case per 100,000 data -- not percent positivity.   

The Health Electronic Response Data System is a NYS DOH data source that collects confirmed daily death data as reported by hospitals, nursing homes and adult care facilities only.   

Important Note: Effective Monday, April 4, the federal Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) is no longer requiring testing facilities that use COVID-19 rapid antigen tests to report negative results. As a result, New York State's percent positive metric will be computed using only lab-reported PCR results. Positive antigen tests will still be reported to New York State and reporting of new daily cases and cases per 100k will continue to include both PCR and antigen tests. Due to this change and other factors, including changes in testing practices, the most reliable metric to measure virus impact on a community is the case per 100,000 data -- not percent positivity.   

  • Total deaths reported to and compiled by the CDC - 74,101

This daily COVID-19 provisional death certificate data reported by NYS DOH and NYC to the CDC includes those who died in any location, including hospitals, nursing homes, adult care facilities, at home, in hospice and other settings.   

Each New York City borough's 7-day average percentage of positive test results reported over the last three days is as follows **:   

Borough  

Sunday,  

September  

18, 2022 

Monday,  

September  

19, 2022 

Tuesday,  

September  

20, 2022 

Bronx 

5.85% 

6.06% 

6.08% 

Kings 

3.80% 

3.77% 

3.60% 

New York 

4.97% 

5.04% 

5.11% 

Queens 

6.16% 

6.11% 

6.11% 

Richmond 

5.76% 

5.85% 

5.69% 


Florida Man Convicted In Business Email Compromise And Money Laundering Scheme Targeting Hedge Fund

 

 Damian Williams, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced that a jury returned a guilty verdict against MUSTAPHA RAJI for his participation in a $1.7 million business email compromise and money-laundering scheme that targeted a Manhattan hedge fund.  RAJI was convicted on four counts of conspiracy to commit wire fraud, wire fraud, receipt of stolen property, and conspiracy to commit money laundering.  RAJI was convicted after a jury trial before U.S. District Judge Jesse M. Furman which lasted approximately one week.  RAJI was previously arrested on December 20, 2019.

U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said:  “Email scams that target businesses in this District will not be tolerated.  Together with our law enforcement partners, we will continue to zealously prosecute online scammers abroad, and the U.S.-based money launderers they work with, to protect American businesses.”

As reflected in the Indictment, public filings, and the evidence presented at trial:

RAJI participated in an international fraud ring that conducted phishing and other email fraud campaigns.  One of those campaigns involved the July 2018 compromise of the business email account of a hedge fund founder in New York.  That compromise resulted in the fraudulent diversion of a $1.7 million wire transfer from the hedge fund to a corporate bank account used to facilitate the scheme.  RAJI was a registered officer of the company that received the stolen funds, he fabricated documents to cover up the fraudulent transfer of funds from the hedge fund, and he directed a co-conspirator to launder the stolen funds to other co-conspirators domestically and overseas.  RAJI took a $50,000 cut for his participation in the scheme.

RAJI, 52, of Hollywood, Florida, was convicted of one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud, which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison; one count of wire fraud, which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison; one count of receipt of stolen money, which carries a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison; and one count of conspiracy to commit money laundering, which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison.

RAJI is scheduled to be sentenced before Judge Furman on January 11, 2023, at 3:15 p.m.

The maximum potential sentences are prescribed by Congress and are provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the judge.

Mr. Williams praised the outstanding investigative work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation.