Wednesday, September 14, 2022

Governor Hochul Updates New Yorkers on State's Progress Combating COVID-19 - SEPTEMBER 14, 2022

Clinical specimen testing for Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) at Wadsworth Laboratory

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

17 Statewide Deaths Reported Yesterday


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

"With school back in session, I urge New Yorkers to remain vigilant in keeping themselves, their loved ones, and their communities safe and healthy," Governor Hochul said. "Take advantage of the vaccine by staying up to date on doses. Test before gatherings or travel and if you test positive, talk to your doctor about potential treatment options."

Last week, Governor Hochul announced the availability of 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 announced that masking will now be optional in multiple settings where they were previously required, including on public transportation, in for-hire vehicles, at airports, homeless shelters, correctional facilities, and detention centers. Masks will continue to be required at adult care and health care facilities regulated by the state Department of Health, and in clinical settings regulated by the Office of Mental Health, Office of Addiction Services and Supports, and Office for People With Developmental Disabilities.

Today's data is summarized briefly below:

  • Cases Per 100k - 26.77
  • 7-Day Average Cases Per 100k - 19.90
  • Test Results Reported - 75,114
  • Total Positive - 5,231
  • Percent Positive - 6.17 %**
  • 7-Day Average Percent Positive - 6.79%**
  • Patient Hospitalization - 2,159 (-33)
  • Patients Newly Admitted - 359
  • Patients in ICU - 229 (-2)
  • Patients in ICU with Intubation - 86 (+10)
  • Total Discharges - 340,953 (+378)
  • New deaths reported by healthcare facilities through HERDS - 17
  • Total deaths reported by healthcare facilities through HERDS - 57,874

** 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 - 73,958

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  

11, 2022 

Monday, 

September  

12, 2022 

Tuesday, 

September 

13, 2022 

Bronx 

5.69% 

5.69% 

5.67% 

Kings 

4.15% 

5.11% 

4.47% 

New York 

5.11% 

4.99% 

5.07% 

Queens 

6.75% 

6.69% 

6.66% 

Richmond 

5.89% 

5.92% 

5.84% 


Defendant Sentenced To Over 19 Years In Prison For Participating In 11 Armed Robberies Of Luxury Watches


Victor Rivera Shot a Victim and Committed 11 Robberies and Attempted Robberies of Luxury Watch Dealers and Owners in New York City, New Jersey, and Long Island 

 Damian Williams, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced that VICTOR RIVERA was sentenced yesterday to 235 months in prison in connection with his participation in a robbery crew that targeted owners of luxury watches worth up to hundreds of thousands of dollars each between October 2019 and November 2020.  On January 19, 2022, RIVERA pled guilty to participating in a conspiracy to commit Hobbs Act robbery.  U.S. District Judge Alvin K. Hellerstein imposed this sentence.

U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said: “Victor Rivera committed nearly a dozen robberies of unarmed and defenseless victims, stealing hundreds of thousands of dollars of jewelry in the process.  During one of these robberies, he shot the victim in front of the victim’s own home.  This lengthy sentence holds Rivera accountable for these terrifying acts of violence.”

According to the Indictment, court documents, and based on statements made in open court:

From at least in or about October 2019 up to and including November 2020, VICTOR RIVERA and others known and unknown agreed to rob victims of luxury watches worth up to hundreds of thousands of dollars each.  The watches owned by victims targeted in the robberies included Richard Mille, Rolex, Audemars Piguet, and Patek Philippe watches owned by jewelers as part of the jewelers’ businesses, which were based in Manhattan’s Diamond District.  RIVERA used guns to commit several of the robberies, and in one robbery, shot a victim, who survived. 

The 11 robberies and attempted robberies included the following: 

  1. On October 3, 2019, RIVERA and a co-conspirator robbed a jeweler in Long Island City, New York, of, among other things, a Richard Mille watch worth over $250,000.
  2. On October 25, 2019, RIVERA and a co-conspirator robbed a jeweler in Jamaica, New York, of, among other things, a Rolex watch worth over $150,000.
  3. On December 10, 2019, RIVERA and two co-conspirators robbed a jeweler in Brooklyn, New York, of, among other things, a Patek Philippe watch worth over $160,000 and a diamond necklace worth over $77,000.  During the robbery, a firearm was shown to the victim.
  4. On January 14, 2020, RIVERA and a co-conspirator robbed a jeweler in Rego Park, New York, of, among other things, a Richard Mille watch worth over $500,000.
  5. On February 16, 2020, RIVERA and a co-conspirator robbed a jeweler in Jamaica Estates, New York, of, among other things, an Audemars Piguet watch worth over $28,000.
  6. On February 20, 2020, RIVERA and a co-conspirator robbed an individual in Long Island City, New York, of, among other things, an Audemars Piguet watch worth over $125,000.
  7. On June 11, 2020, RIVERA and a co-conspirator robbed a jeweler in Brooklyn, New York, of, among other things, a Richard Mille watch worth over $148,000.  During the robbery, a firearm was shown to the victim, and a victim was shot.
  8. On July 6, 2020, RIVERA and a co-conspirator robbed a jeweler in Hoboken, New Jersey, of, among other things, a Richard Mille watch worth over $81,000.  Following the robbery, RIVERA and others transported the stolen watch from New Jersey to New York.
  9. On July 20, 2020, RIVERA and a co-conspirator participated in an attempted robbery of a jeweler in Queens, New York, attempting to steal a Richard Mille watch worth over $180,000.
  10. On August 2, 2020, RIVERA and a co-conspirator robbed an individual in the vicinity of Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey, of, among other things, a Richard Mille watch worth over $250,000.  During the robbery, a firearm was shown to a victim.  Following the robbery, RIVERA and others transported the stolen watch from New Jersey to New York.
  11. On October 27, 2020, RIVERA and a co-conspirator robbed a jeweler in the vicinity of Woodbury, New York, of, among other things, an Audemars Piguet watch worth over $26,000 and assorted jewels and gold links worth over $60,000.  During the robbery, a firearm was shown to a victim.

In addition to his prison term, RIVERA, 31, of Brooklyn, New York, was sentenced to three years of supervised release.  In addition, RIVERA was ordered to pay $1,380,800 in restitution and $1,380,800 in forfeiture.

Mr. Williams praised the outstanding investigative work of the Special Agents of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York and the New York City Police Department.  Mr. Williams also thanked the Bergen County Prosecutor’s Office, the Englewood Cliffs Police Department, the Weehawken Police Department, and the Nassau County Police Department for their assistance.