STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- Richmond University Medical Center has seen no new coronavirus deaths over a six-day period, marking an all-time low in deaths tied to the virus at the hospital since the start of the pandemic, RUMC announced Wednesday.
RUMC’s latest milestone comes as it has also seen a steady decline in coronavirus patients being admitted into the hospital over a two-week period.
On May 13, the hospital was treating 51 positive coronavirus patients, and on Wednesday that number stood at 31, RUMC said.
“Six days without a COVID-related death is a milestone for any hospital given the tragic times we are all living in,” said RUMC’s President and Chief Executive Officer, Daniel J. Messina.
“Being able to report no loss of life each day, these past few days, has helped inspire and boost the morale of our entire staff who are still treating COVID patients in our hospital and as outpatients through our Richmond Health Network. At the same time we cannot lose sight of the fact that there are still far too many families grieving the loss of loved ones right now. Everyone at Richmond University Medical Center extends our thoughts to these families during these difficult times,” Messina continued.
RUMC said it lost the most patients being treated for the virus in early April, when 13 patients died between April 11 to April 12. This grim milestone came shortly after the hospital treated its most coronavirus patients during the pandemic on April 8.
On Wednesday, the borough marked its lowest increase in coronavirus related deaths across the Island during the prior 24-hour period recorded since late March, according to the latest city Health Department data.
As of Wednesday afternoon, the disease claimed the life of one more Staten Islander, the latest city figures showed.
The previous 24-hour low of two fatalities had been recorded several times -- most recently between May 23 and 24, and between May 24 and 25.
A total of 972 Staten Islanders are believed to have succumbed to the disease.
Before New York City can join the regions across the state that have begun reopening in phases, it must first meet seven state-mandated reopening metrics.
Those metrics include a 14-day decline in net hospitalizations; 14-day decline in hospital deaths or fewer than five deaths; under two new hospitalizations per 100,000 residents; and regional hospitals keeping 30% of their general hospital and ICU beds available; a testing program that reaches 30 per 1,000 residents in the region; and having 30 contact tracers per 100,000 residents or based on infection rate.
RUMC said Wednesday it has reached at least five of those state mandated goals.
As of Monday, New York City met five of those requirements.
The state’s reopening plan is structured in four phases. Industries in Phase 1 include construction, agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting, retail (limited to curbside or in-store pickup or drop off), manufacturing and wholesale trade.
Restaurants and other food establishments cannot fully reopen to customers until Phase 3.
On Thursday, RUMC will announce the opening of a new post-coronavirus treatment center where a team of multi-disciplinary experts will help recovering COVID-19 patients with short-term and long-term healthcare needs.
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