Health

"These are legal provisions; they will be enforced. There will be a civil fine and mandatory closure for any business that isn't in compliance," Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo said Friday as the state's virus cases topped 7,100.

Suffolk Legislator Bridget Fleming said on Thursday that hoarding food is unnecessary because supply chains that serve retail food stores are operating normally.

The South Fork is caught up in a rapidly accelerating public health emergency as the COVID-19 pandemic moved from dire warnings two weeks ago to declarations of states of emergency in all of the towns and villages on the North and South Forks this week.

Many of us have suffered already from the warlike shock of the COVID-19 pandemic. We will all suffer in some way. If we learn from the record, however, we can take steps to minimize the impact.

Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo this week ordered schools statewide to close through March 31 because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Some districts here had already announced plans to close for two weeks. Many administrators believe the closure will be extended.

Suffolk County's first mobile testing site for the novel coronavirus is at a Stony Brook University commuter lot. Testing is by appointment and only for those who meet stringent criteria.

While most people have been told to stay home to stop the spread of COVID-19, first responders do not have the luxury of closing up shop.

Businesses of all sorts in New York State ground to a screeching halt this week, as the COVID-19 pandemic forced a near-total shutdown of commercial activity and ordinary life.

Shelter Island has its first confirmed case of the virus, which has already been reported in East Hampton, Southampton, Riverhead, and Southold.

In photographs, how businesses and residents reacted as coronavirus precautions began to take hold.

Many of East Hampton Town government's departments will reduce staffing to approximately 50 percent starting on Wednesday, but essential departments including the police, highway, buildings and grounds, and sanitation will continue to operate.

New York's cases neared 1,400 by Tuesday morning, with 97 in Suffolk County, including 2 in Southampton Town, 2 in East Hampton Town, and 28 in Southold, the county executive reported.