NEW YORK — Seven New York City homeless shelter residents have now tested positive for novel coronavirus, a Department of Social Services spokesman said Thursday.
Six of the cases are new and are across six different shelters, spokesman Isaac McGinn said. The first case, a woman who’d been hospitalized, has already been discharged and is now in isolation.
“As cases rise across the country and the city, we anticipate cases will rise amongst the New Yorkers experiencing homelessness who we serve,” McGinn said. With several thousands more New Yorkers tested overnight citywide, we can confirm a handful of additional cases. We continue to work closely with our essential not-for-profit provider partners to keep our clients informed and to connect anyone who needs it to medical care.”
Three of the individuals who just tested positive for COVID-19 have been hospitalized, officials said. One person is at a Department of Homeless Services quarantine location and will stay there for the next 14 days.
Two of the people who tested positive live in Families with Children shelters. They’ll stay isolated there for the next 14 days.