Governor Hochul Updates New Yorkers on State's Progress Combating Covid-19 - JANUARY 26, 2023

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

34 Statewide Deaths Reported on January 25 

 Governor Kathy Hochul today updated New Yorkers on the state's progress combatting COVID-19 and outlined basic steps they can take to protect against the spread of viral respiratory infections that become more common in the winter season. 

"I urge all New Yorkers to remain vigilant and continue to use all available tools to keep themselves, their loved ones and 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."

Governor Hochul is urging New Yorkers to take common prevention measures — like staying up to date on vaccines and practicing proper hygiene — to protect from the flu and COVID-19 and reduce the patient burden on local hospitals. The Governor reiterated these basic steps when she updated New Yorkers on the state's winter health preparedness efforts last month.  

Recently, the New York State Department of Health announced that the XBB.1.5. variant is now the most dominant strain in New York, accounting for more than 50 percent of COVID-19 infections statewide. Emerging at a time when both COVID-19 and flu cases remain high, early data indicates that XBB.1.5. is more transmissible than other circulating variants, though there is not yet clear evidence of significant changes to virulence or severity of disease.  

The New York State Department of Health's weekly flu surveillance report for the week ending January 14, shows influenza remaining widespread throughout the state for a fifteenth consecutive week, with a total of 300,907 positive cases across all 62 counties reported to date. The report found that confirmed cases statewide dropped 50 percent, while overall hospitalizations were down 52 percent from the previous week, with the week, at 798 hospitalizations across the state. 

Additionally, there were 13 outbreaks in acute care and long-term care facilities, the report determined. There were two additional pediatric deaths, leaving the total at eight statewide. 

With flu season continuing and infections remaining widespread, Governor Hochul encourages all New Yorkers to get their annual flu vaccine. 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 Health Department 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. For information about flu vaccine clinics, contact the local health department or visit vaccines.gov/find-vaccines/. 

Governor Hochul also continues to urge New Yorkers to get their bivalent COVID-19 vaccine boosters. Last month, the New York State Department of Health announced new guidance for bivalent COVID-19 booster doses, which are now available for eligible children down to 6 months of age.  

The updated boosters are the first to be targeted to the original virus strain and recently circulating variants and are recommended for young New Yorkers and all those eligible. 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. 

Today's data is summarized briefly below:  

• Cases Per 100k - 19.76
• 7-Day Average Cases Per 100k - 17.04
• Test Results Reported - 56,895
• Total Positive - 3,862
• Percent Positive - 6.39%** 
• 7-Day Average Percent Positive - 6.12%**
• Patient Hospitalization - 2,844 (-185)
• Patients Newly Admitted - 383
• Patients in ICU - 312 (-1)
• Patients in ICU with Intubation - 115 (-9)
• Total Discharges - 393,926 (+512)
• New deaths reported by healthcare facilities through HERDS - 34
• Total deaths reported by healthcare facilities through HERDS - 61,209

** Due to the test reporting policy change by the federal Department of Health and Human Services 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 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 - 77,552

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	Monday,   January   23, 2023	Tuesday,   January   24, 2023	Wed.   January  25, 2023
Bronx	7.13%	6.81%	6.46%
Kings	4.95%	4.78%	4.45%
New York	5.78%	5.48%	5.17%
Queens	6.65%	6.50%	6.31%
Richmond	5.73%	5.54%	5.21%

     

Statement from Speaker Adams on Mayor Adams’ 2023 State of the City Address

 

“Mayor Adams’ focus on jobs, safety, housing, and care offers many proposals that align with the Council’s priorities to create a safer, healthier, and more equitable city. A strong city government and workforce, supported through our city budget, is essential to the goals that New Yorkers need us to fulfill.

“As we seek to address a dire housing crisis, it is imperative that we advance comprehensive neighborhood planning that helps us build more affordable housing for New Yorkers at an increased pace with equity. Mayor Adams’ administration and Council Members working collaboratively on planning and building housing, as well as the announced investments in tenant protections, represent significant steps forward in our efforts.

“We agree that the path to public safety is preventing crime before it occurs, and this requires adequate resources for a range of preventative investments into communities for jobs, housing, and care that are not present in proposed budgets. The response to recidivism needs to be greater investments in the evidence-based programs that are proven to reduce it. Mayor Adams’ announcement of funding for district attorneys and public defenders to help fill critical staffing shortages that clear backlogs is welcomed. A just legal system requires timely processes that don’t leave people unnecessarily in pre-trial detention within our jails. This is one of many investments needed to ensure that we close Rikers and help keep everyone in our jail system and communities safe.

“We are glad the Mayor’s vision addresses issues that the Council has advanced, which include increasing economic opportunity for New Yorkers with disabilities, women’s health, and expanding composting citywide. The Council has been set to pass a citywide composting law since last year, awaiting the administration’s environmental review, and my own State of the City last year prioritized laws we have passed to support New Yorkers with disabilities. We’re proud the Mayor is moving forward aggressively on these issues.

“I am encouraged by Mayor Adams’ increased support and commitments for our city’s Minority and Women-Owned Business Enterprises (MWBEs), as well as education, economic development and workforce opportunities, addiction treatment and harm reduction, food justice, and other areas of human services that deserve stronger investments from our city.

“At the end of the day, budget commitments are necessary to achieve our goals. None of this work is possible without the full capacity of our city agencies that have lost funding, struggled with dangerously high rates of vacancies, and are at risk of losing additional funds and positions. This has undermined the ability to truly confront the housing crisis and deliver essential services to New Yorkers, making it difficult for the City to properly fund housing projects and New Yorkers to access assistance like their SNAP benefits and housing vouchers. To successfully implement the jobs, safety, housing, and care laid out in Mayor Adams’ State of the City, the necessary investments must follow. The Council will continue to be a voice for New Yorkers in ensuring the most important goals for our city are met, working with Mayor Adams and all of our colleagues in government.”

Two Leaders Of Violent Drug Cartel Sentenced To Life And 50 Years In Prison

 

 Damian Williams, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced today that JULIO MARQUEZ ALEJANDRO, a/k/a “Chino,” was sentenced to life in prison, and LUIS BLONDET was sentenced to 50 years in prison, each for their leading roles in a brutal drug cartel that is responsible for dozens of murders, the bribery of corrupt police officers in Puerto Rico, and the distribution of thousands of kilograms of cocaine in New York, Puerto Rico, and elsewhere.  In April 2022, a jury convicted MARQUEZ ALEJANDRO and BLONDET of racketeering and murder-related charges after a three-week trial before U.S. District Judge Jesse M. Furman, who sentenced MARQUEZ ALEJANDRO yesterday and BLONDET earlier today.  

U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said: “For years, Julio Marquez Alejandro and Luis Blondet repeatedly resorted to heinous murder for their own benefit.  Dozens of people died as a result of the reign of terror their organization carried out.  But this Office is committed to seeking justice for otherwise forgotten victims, no matter how long it takes.  Thanks to outstanding work from our law enforcement partners, Marquez Alejandro and Blondet will rightly spend decades in prison.”

According to the evidence at trial and other filings in the case:

MARQUEZ ALEJANDRO was one of the founding fathers of “La Organizacion de Narcotraficantes Unidos,” or “La ONU,” a criminal enterprise whose members and associates engaged in, from in or about 2004 to in or about 2016, dozens of murders, the bribery of corrupt police officers in Puerto Rico, and the distribution of thousands of kilograms of cocaine, including the shipment of cocaine from Puerto Rico to New York.  Cocaine supplied by La ONU was distributed in New York City, including out of a children’s daycare center in the Bronx.  BLONDET was also a member and leader of La ONU and one of MARQUEZ ALEJANDRO’s closest allies.

The evidence at trial established that MARQUEZ ALEJANDRO personally ordered, authorized, or otherwise helped facilitate the murders of at least 15 people to maintain or expand his power and profits.  The evidence also showed that BLONDET personally participated in or helped facilitate the murders of seven people.  For example:

On or about April 9, 2005, BLONDET murdered Crystal Martinez Ramirez at a party in San Juan, Puerto Rico.  After Martinez Ramirez refused BLONDET’s sexual advances, BLONDET shot Martinez Ramirez in the head twice and dumped her body on a street corner.

On or about December 28, 2006, Israel Crespo Cotto was murdered on the orders of MARQUEZ ALEJANDRO because Crespo Cotto was believed to be cooperating with law enforcement.  MARQUEZ ALEJANDRO’s assassins killed Crespo Cotto, a double amputee, while he was sitting in his wheelchair in the Manuel A. Perez public housing projects in San Juan, Puerto Rico.  Crespo Cotto was shot 24 times.

On or about May 9, 2007, members of La ONU, including MARQUEZ ALEJANDRO, hired corrupt Puerto Rico police officers to participate in the murder of Anthony Castro Carrillo in Carolina, Puerto Rico, in exchange for a cash bonus.  Members of La ONU and two corrupt cops stormed Castro Carrillo’s residence while dressed as police officers and shot and killed him.

MARQUEZ ALEJANDRO, BLONDET, and other members of La ONU arranged for the murder of Hommysan Cariño Bruno, a leader of a rival drug organization, paying a driver to kill Cariño Bruno and providing the murder weapon.  Cariño Bruno was shot and killed while inside a van on or about April 29, 2008, in San Juan, Puerto Rico.

On or about March 20, 2009, Carlos Barbosa was murdered on the orders of MARQUEZ ALEJANDRO because Barbosa was believed to be plotting to seize power from MARQUEZ ALEJANDRO.  Barbosa was shot over a dozen times while getting his hair cut at a barbershop in Levittown, Puerto Rico.

On or about November 27, 2009, Emanuel Correa Romero, a/k/a “Oreo,” was murdered on the orders of MARQUEZ ALEJANDRO.  Members of La ONU beat Correa Romero until he appeared dead.  After the assault, members of La ONU placed Correa Romero’s body into a suitcase and later reported back that they shot the suitcase dozens of times and then lit it on fire.

At the sentencing of MARQUEZ ALEJANDRO, Judge Furman emphasized MARQUEZ ALEJANDRO’s “stunning disrespect for the value of other human life” and “the scale of human suffering for which he is responsible.”       

When sentencing BLONDET, Judge Furman underscored that BLONDET’s murder of Crystal Martinez Ramirez was “grotesque and inhumane.”

In addition to their prison terms, MARQUEZ ALEJANDRO, 52, of San Juan, Puerto Rico, and BLONDET, 48, of San Juan, Puerto Rico, were ordered to forfeit $11.52 million and $212,000, as proceeds of their crimes, respectively.

Mr. Williams praised the investigative work of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, the Drug Enforcement Administration, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives.