Governor Cuomo Announces Statewide Public-private Hospital Plan to Fight COVID-19; Confirms 6,984 additional cases, Statewide total now 66,497

March 30, 2020--New York City--Governor Andrew M. Cuomo, joined by health care professionals gives a press briefing at the Javits Center in New York City Monday March 30, 2020. Earlier in the day, Governor Cuomo welcomed the US Naval Hospital Ship Comfort to New York City. The Comfort's mission will be to treat patients who do not have the COVID-19 virus, freeing up land-based hospitals to focus on the Novel Coronavirus. (Kevin P. Coughlin / Office of Governor Andrew M. Cuomo)

Amid the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, Governor Andrew M. Cuomo on  Monday announced a statewide public-private hospital plan to fight COVID-19. As part of the plan, public and private hospitals from across the state have agreed to implement a new balanced approach to fighting the virus where hospitals that are beginning to reach or exceed capacity can transfer patients to other hospitals that are not as full.

The hospital systems across the state have also agreed to share supplies, staff and other resources as needed. The State Department of Health will work with the statewide healthcare system to create a command center to share information between hospitals about the supplies each hospital has in stock and the supplies each hospital is ordering. This central inventory system will help ensure purchasing and distribution of supplies is done strategically and efficiently.

The Governor also announced that the first 1,000-bed temporary hospital at the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center is open and accepting patients today. The temporary hospital site was constructed in one week.

"As the numbers continue to increase, the situation is becoming painfully clear that the front line battle of this virus will be fought in our healthcare system," Governor Cuomo said. "We need more healthcare professionals, we need more supplies, we need more capacity and we need it now. The entire country has been playing catch up with this virus since day one, but in New York we have been trying to plan forward and get ahead of the problem. We are continuing to stockpile supplies in preparation for the apex of the curve, and we have reached an agreement with the statewide healthcare system to coordinate and work together as one entity to balance the load of patients and share staff and resources."

Finally, the Governor confirmed 6,984 additional cases of novel coronavirus, bringing the statewide total to 66,497 confirmed cases in New York State.