Governor Hochul Updates New Yorkers on State's Progress Combating COVID-19 - NOVEMBER 8, 2022

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

66 Statewide Deaths Reported from November 5th to November 7th

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

"With the weather cooling and with winter just around the corner, I urge New Yorkers to remain vigilant and use all available tools to keep themselves and loved ones in their communities safe and healthy," Governor Hochul said. "Be sure to stay up to date on vaccine doses, and test before gatherings or travel. If you test positive, talk to your doctor about potential treatment options."

Last week, Governor Hochul launched a new public awareness campaign featuring New York State Health Commissioner Dr. Mary T. Bassett speaking directly to New Yorkers about three viruses - Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV), flu and COVID-19 - now circulating in the state with similar symptoms and the potential to cause serious illness. Produced by the New York State Department of Health, the videos include a short clip and a longer version geared toward parents; and a version aimed specifically at health care providers.     

Governor Hochul continues to remind New Yorkers that children ages 5 and older may now receive the bivalent booster shots that are recommended to increase protection against COVID-19. 

The Governor also urges New Yorkers to get their bivalent COVID-19 vaccine boosters. 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 encourages New Yorkers to get their annual flu vaccine as flu season is widespread across New York State. The flu virus and the virus that causes COVID-19 are both circulating, so getting vaccinated against both is the best way to stay healthy and to avoid added stress to the health care system.  

The State Department of Health is continuing its annual public education campaign, reminding adults and parents to get both flu and COVID-19 shots for themselves and children 6 months and older. Advertisements in both English and Spanish language began running last month. 

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

Today's data is summarized briefly below:    

1. Cases Per 100k - 16.99
2. 7-Day Average Cases Per 100k - 20.90
3. Test Results Reported - 42,723
4. Total Positive - 3,321
5. Percent Positive - 6.84%**
6. 7-Day Average Percent Positive - 5.90%**      
7. Patient Hospitalization - 2,948 (+144)
8. Patients Newly Admitted - 1060*
9. Patients in ICU - 302 (+14)
10. Patients in ICU with Intubation - 105 (+18)
11. Total Discharges - 359,548 (+820)*
12. New deaths reported by healthcare facilities through HERDS - 66*
13. Total deaths reported by healthcare facilities through HERDS - 58,992*  

** 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 - 75,275

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	Saturday,   November   5, 2022	Sunday,   November   6, 2022	Monday,   November   7, 2022
Bronx	6.54%	6.52%	6.59%
Kings	4.34%	4.43%	4.50%
New York	5.79%	5.78%	5.74%
Queens	6.82%	6.77%	6.82%
Richmond	5.48%	5.45%	5.44%

BRONX MAN INDICTED FOR UNPROVOKED FATAL STABBING OF STRAPHANGER ON SUBWAY PLATFORM

 

Victim Was on His Way Home From Work When He Was Stabbed

 Bronx District Attorney Darcel D. Clark today announced that a Bronx man has been indicted on second-degree Murder and additional charges for stabbing a man on a subway platform in Morris Heights.

 District Attorney Clark said, “The victim was getting off the train when the defendant allegedly approached him and stabbed him multiple times. The father of two, who was on his way home after his work shift at Citi Field, was killed without provocation as horrified commuters watched. We will seek justice for the victim and his family, who lost their loved one because of senseless violence.”

 District Attorney Clark said the defendant, Saquan Lemons, 27, last of 1849 Sedgwick Avenue, was arraigned today on second-degree Murder, first-degree Manslaughter and fourthdegree Criminal Possession of a Weapon before Bronx Supreme Court Justice George Villegas. The defendant was remanded and is due back in court on January 25, 2022.

 According to the investigation, on October 6, 2022 at approximately 8:50 p.m., the defendant and the victim, Charles Moore, 38, were on the 4 train when it pulled up at the subway station located at 176th Street Station and Jerome Avenue. Video surveillance shows the victim and defendant tumbling out of the train. Lemons allegedly stabbed Moore multiple times in the torso. The defendant fled the scene, and the victim was taken to a local hospital where he was pronounced dead the next morning.

 District Attorney Clark thanked NYPD Detective Sheldon Smith of Bronx Homicide and Detective Michael Pando of the 46th Precinct for their assistance in the investigation.

An indictment is an accusatory instrument and not proof of a defendant’s guilt.

Three Arrested For International Gun Trafficking And Obstruction Of Justice

 

 Damian Williams, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, Ivan J. Arvelo, Special Agent in Charge of the New York Field Office of Homeland Security Investigations (“HSI”), and Keechant L. Sewell, Commissioner of the New York City Police Department (“NYPD”), announced today the arrests of ELVIS GUERRERO, a/k/a “E,” JEMYNI TRUE, a/k/a “Jemy,” and TRENTON MICHAEL JUDKINS, for trafficking firearms from New York City to the Dominican Republic.  As alleged in the Complaint filed last Friday, the defendants obtained firearms from straw purchasers and then shipped six handguns and an AR-15 style rifle from New York City to the Dominican Republic inside a cargo shipping container.  TRUE and JUDKINS also conspired to delete evidence regarding their scheme after JUDKINS was contacted by law enforcement.  GUERRERO and TRUE were arrested after flying into JFK Airport from the Dominican Republic last Thursday and were presented before Magistrate Judge Barbara C. Moses in Manhattan federal court.  GUERRERO was ordered detained and TRUE was detained pending release on conditions.  JUDKINS was arrested last Friday in Maine.

U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said: “International gun traffickers endanger our community by putting dangerous weapons in the hands of those who often use them for violence.  As demonstrated by these arrests, our Office will continue to investigate and prosecute gun traffickers who seek to profit from the illegal gun trade, which endangers the lives of law-abiding citizens everywhere.”

NYPD Commissioner Keechant L. Sewell said: “Illegal guns pose a grave public-safety threat to every community, here in New York City and across the globe.  With these charges, the NYPD and our law-enforcement partners are sending a clear and definitive message: If you traffic in these deadly weapons, you will be arrested and prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.  I want to thank the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York, HSI’s New York Field Office, and all of the investigators who worked on this important case.”

According to the allegations in the Complaint filed in Manhattan federal court:[1]

TRUE and GUERRERO obtained firearms from multiple straw purchasers located in the United States, including JUDKINS.  GUERRERO and JUDKINS discussed that GUERRERO would pay JUDKINS for a firearm with narcotics. 

On or about October 6, 2022, a shipping container that had been transported by cargo ship from New York City to the Dominican Republic was inspected in the Dominican Republic.  Inside a box that was reported to contain food and other items, inspectors found six handguns and an AR-15 style rifle.  A photograph of the firearms is below:

 

Law enforcement in the Dominican Republic searched a location where the firearms were intended to be received and found a paper containing a phone number associated with TRUE. 

On November 3, 2022, law enforcement agents approached JUDKINS, who admitted to selling the AR-15 style rifle recovered in the Dominican Republic to GUERRERO and that TRUE had recently asked him to provide a second firearm.  After speaking with law enforcement agents, JUDKINS communicated with TRUE, advising her that he had spoken with federal law enforcement agents and to “be careful.”  In response, TRUE asked him to “delete all our chats on Facebook and here please / And text / And your s*** w [GUERRERO].”  JUDKINS agreed to do so. 

On November 3, 2022, law enforcement agents seized cellphones possessed by GUERRERO and TRUE after they flew into JFK Airport from the Dominican Republic.  Substantially all of the data on TRUE’s cellphone had been deleted. 

On GUERRERO’s phones, law enforcement found multiple photographs of firearms, including the following photograph of GUERRERO posing with a rifle:

 

Law enforcement agents also found communications between GUERRERO and TRUE regarding firearms and notes GUERRERO kept regarding quantities of narcotics. 

GUERRERO, 21, of Lowell, Massachusetts; TRUE, 20, of Corinth, Maine; and JUDKINS, 18, of Garland, Maine, are each charged with one count of conspiring to commit an offense against the United States, namely, gun trafficking, which carries a maximum sentence of five years in prison and one count of gun trafficking, which carries a maximum sentence of five years in prison.  TRUE and JUDKINS are additionally charged with one count of obstruction of justice, which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison. 

The maximum potential sentences are prescribed by Congress and are provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentence will be determined by a judge.

Mr. Williams praised the outstanding investigative work of HSI and the NYPD. 

The charges contained in the Complaint are merely accusations and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

[1] As the introductory phrase signifies, the entirety of the text of the Complaint constitutes only allegations, and every fact described herein should be treated as an allegation.