Expect months-long coronavirus fight: Cuomo

Expect months-long coronavirus fight: Cuomo

New York Governor Andrew Cuomo on Friday spoke about the coronavirus outbreak in the state and said, "I think this could be a six, seven, eight, nine month affair." Jillian Kitchener has more.

Speaking from the epicenter of New York’s coronavirus outbreak in New Rochelle, Governor Andrew Cuomo on Friday gave a stern warning to residents about the disease.

(SOUNDBITE)(English) NEW YORK GOVERNOR ANDREW CUOMO, SAYING: “I don’t believe this is going to be a short-term issue.

I think we’re looking at a matter of months and people should start to calibrate that into their expectation.

I think this could be a six, seven, eight, nine month affair.

Watching the trajectory of the virus, so I think people should start to recognize that.

This is not going to be over in 30 days, it’s not going to be over in a couple of weeks.” New Rochelle - which has a containment zone around an infection hotspot - now has a drive-through testing center that can serve about 200 cars per day.

Cuomo says it’s a safer method of testing for the virus because it cuts out the potential for in-person spread.

(SOUNDBITE)(English) NEW YORK GOVERNOR ANDREW CUOMO, SAYING: “We have to settle in for a somewhat long ride.

But I have no doubt at the end of the day, we will be through this and we will be the stronger and the better for it, just like every other situation we have gone through.” New York has more than 300 confirmed cases of the virus.

The state has banned gatherings of more than 500 people beginning on Friday.