STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. — While there have been no confirmed cases of the coronavirus (COVID-19) at either Staten Island hospital system, there have been a “handful” of suspicious cases that have been referred to the state’s Health Department for further evaluation, according to the medical director of Staten Island University Hospital.
Dr. Theodore Maniatis, who is responsible for all medical affairs, quality management, patient safety issues and standards of care at the hospital system, told the Advance that multiple cases on the borough have warranted further investigation by the New York State Department of Health.
The individuals in those cases were referred to self-quarantine at their home, he said.
“If the suggestion is they self quarantine, then there is a suspicion that they have it,” Maniatis said. “There is a possibility they have it.”
The majority of coronavirus patients are not required to be hospitalized, Maniatis explained, and patients would only be admitted if they meet the criteria for hospitalization.
After a recommendation of self-quarantine, “We contact the state Health Department and they pick it up,” Maniatis explained. The hospital then works in conjunction with state health authorities to see if “culture material” needs to be obtained, and the state is thereafter responsible for tracking the individual patients.
The Health Department, according to Maniatis, has the authority to further force an individual to be quarantined.
In a response to a question ascertaining the amount of time it takes for a patient to be further assessed by the state Health Department, a spokeswoman said “The Department of Health analyzes samples sent by healthcare providers, after they assess their patients and collect samples for testing.”
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While no Staten Island hospital currently has the capacity for testing for the coronavirus, Northwell Health — which operates Staten Island University’s Ocean Breeze and Prince’s Bay campuses — expects “any day now” that the health system will be able to do tests at a Northwell health lab “or right on premises,” Maniatis said, which would cut down on the amount of time it takes for a test result to return.
“The laboratory that’s part of Northwell is in discussion with the state to become one of the sites that has the right or authority licensed to do it,” Maniatis said.
While Maniatis said Staten Island University Hospitals have seen “a slight increase” in the number of concerned individuals coming to the hospital, there is “certainly not hysteria.”
“The more we could slow this down until hopefully it fades away — as all these things eventually do,” Maniatis said, “the less people it will infect.”
The World Health Organization said there are over 95,200 confirmed cases globally. The Washington State Department of Health announced on Tuesday that 10 deaths have been confirmed in the state. One death has been reported in California, the state’s health department said Wednesday.
