New York City has turned into a ghost town with typically-packed subways cars left completely empty and tourist-filled hot spots like Times Square and Central Park eerily deserted.
On Friday, President Donald Trump declared a national emergency and ordered that $50billion in federal resources be allocated to combat the contagious outbreak that has impacted 49 states.
The Big Apple, usually buzzing with traffic and tourists, has transformed into an shockingly silent city as many workers have been ordered to work from home and some business have temporarily shut down.
The state reported that the number of coronavirus cases surged from 325 to 421 on Friday, with 154 of those cases in New York City.
New York Mayor Bill de Blasio declared a state of emergency last week, closing down Broadway and banning gatherings of more than 500 people.
‘Going to this level is not done lightly, but it has reached the point where it is necessary,’ de Blasio said.
FBI raids Eric Swalwell’s property, seizes devices at airport in sexual misconduct investigation
Sherrill escalates Trump fight over voter fiasco day after Mullin praises NJ cooperation
ActBlue co-founder pleads Fifth Amendment in closed-door House GOP grilling
Ocasio-Cortez endorses Massachusetts Senate incumbent Ed Markey
USS George Washington arrives in Middle East
U.S. Conducting Successful ‘Stealth Operation’ in the Strait of Hormuz: Report
Harry and Meghan Abandoning US, Returning to Britain as Eye-Watering Monthly Cost of Their CA Mansion Is Revealed
Bloodied, ejected Marine Corps pilot seen calm and collected after Washington crash destroys aircraft
New judge has days to decide whether Karmelo Anthony’s conviction and 35-year sentence survive
Battle over federal courthouses erupts as GSA warns against giving judiciary more control
FL Voters Boot Cory Mills, the GOP Rep. Who Helped Keep Ilhan Omar from Being Stripped of Her Committee Assignments
The last January 6 case? Former DC police officer fighting conviction over contact with ex-Proud Boys leader
Trump urged to stop targeting fellow Republicans as GOP fights to keep majority
Biden admin released illegal immigrant accused of fatally stabbing Fairfax County mother
How one NYC suburb could decide which party controls the House
The subway system has seen a major plunge in riders. On Wednesday ridership fell by nearly 20 percent on subways and 15 percent on buses compared with a similar day last year.
Typically each day the subway system sees around 5.5million riders each weekday.
On Thursday ridership was down on the Long Island Rail Road by 31 percent and on the Metro-North Railroad, which travels through the northern suburbs of New York, was down 48 percent.
Ridership on the subway was down 18.5 percent, about 1 million riders, compared to March 2019, when the subways handled about 5.39 million.
New Yorkers have also gone into a panic over stocking up on food, toilet paper, and hand sanitizers as they prepare to bunker down as the government calls for ‘social distancing’.
Many businesses have shut down in light of the outbreak and to prevent further spread of COVID-19.
On Thursday Broadway went dark for at least a month following the restrictions on public gatherings, hitting the theater industry hard.
All 41 Broadway theaters have at least 500 seats, in fact most accommodate over 1,000.
FBI raids Eric Swalwell’s property, seizes devices at airport in sexual misconduct investigation
Sherrill escalates Trump fight over voter fiasco day after Mullin praises NJ cooperation
ActBlue co-founder pleads Fifth Amendment in closed-door House GOP grilling
Ocasio-Cortez endorses Massachusetts Senate incumbent Ed Markey
USS George Washington arrives in Middle East
U.S. Conducting Successful ‘Stealth Operation’ in the Strait of Hormuz: Report
Harry and Meghan Abandoning US, Returning to Britain as Eye-Watering Monthly Cost of Their CA Mansion Is Revealed
Bloodied, ejected Marine Corps pilot seen calm and collected after Washington crash destroys aircraft
New judge has days to decide whether Karmelo Anthony’s conviction and 35-year sentence survive
Battle over federal courthouses erupts as GSA warns against giving judiciary more control
FL Voters Boot Cory Mills, the GOP Rep. Who Helped Keep Ilhan Omar from Being Stripped of Her Committee Assignments
The last January 6 case? Former DC police officer fighting conviction over contact with ex-Proud Boys leader
Trump urged to stop targeting fellow Republicans as GOP fights to keep majority
Biden admin released illegal immigrant accused of fatally stabbing Fairfax County mother
How one NYC suburb could decide which party controls the House
New York landmarks such as the Metropolitan Museum, the Metropolitan Opera and Carnegie hall also announced they would be suspending visits and performances.
While de Blasio has not ordered schools to close, as other states have, public-school attendance plummeted last week over coronavirus concerns.
The United Federation of Teachers and a dozen City Council members urged de Blasio to close school.
‘We understand the immense disruption this will create for our families,’ UFT President Michael Mulgrew said.
‘But right now, more than a million students and staff crisscross the city every day on their way to schools, putting themselves and others at risk of exposure and increasing the likelihood of bringing exposure into their homes and communities.’
There are 1.1 million students in New York City’s public schools, many of whom depend on the schools for free or reduced-price meals.
While the streets of New York seem empty, governor Andrew Cuomo warned that the state’s hospital system could be overwhelmed by coronavirus cases.
Story cited here.
