'Now is not the time to be stepping back.' - Bellone urges continued social distancing even if apex is nearing

"Now is not the time to be stepping back from what we are doing, now is the time to hunker down even more," said Bellone.

News 12 Staff

Apr 6, 2020, 4:28 PM

Updated 1,473 days ago

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'Now is not the time to be stepping back.' - Bellone urges continued social distancing even if apex is nearing
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 Suffolk County Executive Steve Bellone provided a coronavirus update Monday.
BRIEFING NOTES:
- Nearly 30,000 tested so far. 13,487 positive cases - an increase of more than 1,000.
- Hospitalizations are at 1,463, an increase of 26 patients. There are 546 people in ICU.
- Seeing smaller rates in net hospitalization increases.
- Bellone says if we are hitting a plateau, it means social distancing is working. "But that does not mean we take our foot off the pedal now." More data needed to know if we are plateauing.
- "Now is not the time to be stepping back from what we are doing, now is the time to hunker down even more."
- 3,215 hospital beds in county, 396 ICU beds in county.
- 710 hospital beds currently available, 65 ICU beds available. 63 COVID-19 patients discharged in last 24 hours.
- 199 deaths confirmed so far in Suffolk County, but expect numbers coming later today to show increase to over 200.
- Plasma donations being sought from people who have had a confirmed COVID-19 case and have recovered. More info at nybloodcenter.org and mountsinai.org. "You may be in the position to save a life."
- Suffolk County is enforcing Cuomo's social distancing/gathering/emergency regulations. Says Suffolk has not issued fines, but Suffolk police have responded to reports of violations. Bellone says every response has seen a situation resolved, be an erroneous report or voluntary compliance. Advises people to report violations to 311. 
PHOTOS: The impact of coronavirus around the world
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