New York has more than 10,000 coronavirus cases and over half of them are patients younger than 50, governor says

• New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced that the state was ramping up its response to the coronavirus outbreak as 10,356 cases have been confirmed.
• Cuomo said that 54% of the cases were identified in patients who are between 18 and 49 years old, challenging previous thoughts that younger people faced a lower risk from the virus.
• Doubling down on his urging for New Yorkers to avoid social interaction to prevent infection, Cuomo said he wasn't issuing a "shelter in place" order, but was instead "closing the valve" of normal activity to encourage residents to "remain indoors to the greatest extent."
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New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo said Saturday that the state was reckoning with a significant rise in the number of coronavirus cases, the majority of which were identified in residents younger than 60.

Cuomo announced that there are 10,356 confirmed cases across the state, 6,211 of which are in New York City, and 54% of which are from patients who are between 18 and 49 years old.

"We do have an issue with young people who are not complying," Cuomo said, warning those who might not be concerned about the virus because they are younger than 60, which was the initial risk group identified by authorities.

"You can get the virus, and you can hurt people," he said, following up previous comments arguing that is "unintelligent and reckless" for young people to be going out and partying during the coronavirus pandemic.

Cuomo's comments echo similar warnings from Dr. Bruce Aylward, senior adviser to the Director-General of the World Health Organization, described to Time.

"One of the things that terrifies me now is, as this is spread in the west is, there's this sense of invulnerability among millennials," Aylward told the outlet in an interview.

He later added: "This is one of the most serious diseases you will face in your lifetime, and recognize that and respect it."

Cuomo also described a ramped-up response by state authorities to secure resources like masks, ventilators, and gowns that have become scarce in the face of the pandemic.

One million N95 masks would be sent to New York City and 500,000 to Long Island on Saturday, Cuomo said, as the state had procured 6,000 new ventilators from around the world, though it is in need of 30,000 more.

The conference came one day after Cuomo announced that all workers in nonessential businesses are required to stay home in an effort to combat the spread of coronavirus. He stopped short of issuing a "shelter in place" order, saying that the state was instead "closing the valve" of normal activity to encourage New Yorkers to "remain indoors to the greatest extent."

"I don't believe it's going to be a matter of weeks, it's going to be a number of months," Cuomo said of a timeline of the city's response to the virus.

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