A medical worker transports a patient at Mount Sinai, Wednesday, April 1, 2020, in New York. (AP Photo/Mary Altaffer)
Coronavirus-related deaths in New York City have surged past 10,000 now that officials have revised the tally to include people presumed to have died from the virus, rather than just those with lab-confirmed test results.
“Behind every death is a friend, a family member, a loved one. We are focused on ensuring that every New Yorker who died because of COVID-19 gets counted,” New York City Health Commissioner Dr. Oxiris Barbot said in a statement. “While these data reflect the tragic impact that the virus has had on our city, they will also help us to determine the scale and scope of the epidemic and guide us in our decisions.”
The decision to include probable deaths, which the city has defined as New Yorkers without a known positive test but who have “COVID-19” or equivalent listed on their death certificates, followed media reports asserting the city could be substantially undercounting deaths.
Discrepancies in testing and reporting protocols meant probable COVID-19-related deaths were not being included in official tallies and those who died of unconfirmed causes at home were not being tested for coronavirus after death, The New York Times reported. A report from Gothamist and WNYC noted the number of New Yorkers dying at home since the pandemic hit has surged almost tenfold, meaning the city could be underreporting by a whopping 70 percent. About 25 people die at home per day on average in New York City, but in the weeks since the outbreak of the virus, at-home death rates have settled around 200.
According to the new data released by the City, close to 8,200 New Yorkers passed away in the past month from causes not known to be related to COVID-19. The city acknowledged that some of those deaths could be reclassified as more information becomes available.
Bamboo-based toilet paper company Cloud Paper raised $5 million in a recent funding round. Its product is a bamboo-based alternative to traditional toilet paper made from trees, and its mission is to end the deforestation caused by traditional paper products. Cloud Paper says the raise will allow it to make significant investments in its supply chain, product development, and hiring. Ryan Fritsch, a co-founder of Cloud Paper, joined Cheddar News' Closing Bell to discuss.
Space tourism company World View plans to launch its first commercial flights in early 2024, with voyages to take off from iconic locations around the world like the Grand Canyon — but seemingly at a flexible price point. Dale Hipsh, president of tourism and exploration at World View, joined Cheddar to discuss what a trip to the stratosphere would look like with his company and its much less expensive take on space travel. "Our technology allows us to be more democratic, to offer more opportunities for people to experience near space, and that overview effect," he said. "So we're really thrilled to be bringing it to market."
A recent NOAA report found America's coastline could experience a century's worth of sea rise in just 30 years. By 2050, water on the U.S. coast will be 10-12 inches higher, causing major eastern cities to be hit regularly with floods, even on sunny days. Gary Mitchum, professor of physical oceanography at the University of South Florida, joins Cheddar News to discuss.
The Biden administration is launching a new task force to promote the use of 'cleaner' construction materials with lower life cycle emissions. This comes as the White House works to speed up government purchases of greener products. Sweta Chakraborty, climate change expert and U.S. president of "We Don't Have Time," joins Cheddar News to discuss.
Stephen Gardner, director at ETF Managers Group, explains why investors shouldn't be rushing to sell vaccine stocks like Moderna or BioNTech even as the spread of COVID-19 slows down.
On this episode of Cheddar Innovates: Evolution Devices CEO breaks down how the Evowalk wearable device can help those with walking impairments; Cresilon CEO explains how he's created a plant-based gel to easily treat wounds in both humans and animals; A look at Curiosity Stream's 'The Colorado Problem.'
Pier Mantovani, Founder and CEO of Evolution Devices, joins Cheddar Innovates to discuss how the Evowalk wearable device can help those with walking impairments, and how remote physical therapy is becoming a reality.
Joe Landolina, CEO and Co-Founder of Cresilon, joins Cheddar Innovates to discuss how he's created a plant-based gel to easily treat wounds in both humans and animals.
A new analysis reveals that for more than two decades, the West has been the driest it has ever been since 800 A.D. The drought which began in 2000 has brought more devastating wildfires and draining water reserves well below healthy levels. Climate Scientists and Adjunct Associate Research Scientist at Lamont Doherty Earth Observatory at Columbia University,Benjamin Cook, joined Cheddar to discuss more.
