More than 9,000 recovering coronavirus patients in New York state were released from hospitals into nursing homes under a controversial directive that was scrapped amid criticism it was accelerating outbreaks. That's according to new records obtained by The Associated Press.
The new number of over 9,000 recovering patients sent to hundreds of nursing homes is more than 40% higher than what had been previously released by the state health department. And it raises new questions as to whether Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s March 25 directive helped spread sickness and death among residents. That's a charge his administration disputes.
The New York Department of Health released updated data last week showing 13,000 coronavirus-related deaths tied to nursing homes.
Cuomo has defended his handling of nursing homes at the onset of the coronavirus pandemic.
"Where this starts is, frankly, a political attack from the (Trump) administration," Cuomo said late last month. "Everyone did the best they could... Whether someone died in a hospital or in a nursing home, it's the people died. I wish this never happened. I wish none of this happened. I wish there was no COVID. I wish no old people died. I wish I did not have to call out National Guard, some who got sick and died."
