Mayor Bill de Blasio said the Billie Jean King Tennis Stadium is now taking patients battling COVID-19 in its temporary hospital.

The mayor said this week and weekend will be hard as New Yorkers celebrate Passover and Easter. He says to take advantage of Skype and FaceTime to be with family during these holidays.

He asked New Yorkers to continue to be strong for one another and praised those from across the country who are coming to New York City to volunteer in the battle against coronavirus.

The mayor says the virus has found every inequality in our society and heightened it. He says people with low incomes and no access to health care are suffering, as well as undocumented immigrants.

Mayor de Blasio said the Billie Jean King facility was originally meant to hold 350 beds facility, but will be turned into a 470 bed facility and it will be adding 20 ICU beds.

MORE: LIVE BLOG - Coronavirus updates from the tri-state area and beyond 
TRACKER: New York, New Jersey, Connecticut coronavirus cases and deaths 

 

Mayor said more facilities will be set up and that New York City does have the capacity. He said although he feels optimistic, he says the future of the virus and the next phase of the virus is still unknown.

Mayor de Blasio says he is asking the federal government for anti-body testing and large scale testing for New York City.

He says many private companies and other states around the country come forward to help New Yorker get testing options.

He says going forward, thermometers will become increasingly more important, saying thermometers have been delivered to city building, court building, 911 call centers and educational buildings. Every NYPD precinct, FDNY house and sanitation garage will receive thermometers Friday.

Mayor de Blasio reiterated what he said in prior news conferences about enforcing social distance guidelines and telling New Yorkers that food will be available for everyone.