Joseph Ostapiuk
Staten Island Advance
STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. — The number of NYPD employees who tested positive for the coronavirus (COVID-19) reached 818 on Sunday, and was expected to reach 900 by Tuesday morning, Police Commissioner Dermot Shea said.
In total, 730 uniformed members and 88 civilian members have tested positive for the virus, which is an increase of 122 uniformed members since yesterday.
The NYPD also said 4,651 uniformed members of the NYPD were on sick report on Sunday, which accounts for 12.8% of the department’s uniformed workforce. A total of 4,342 NYPD uniformed employees were on sick report on Saturday, the department previously reported.
Shea said the NYPD is “staggering” its work force and “giving discretion” to front-line commanders in terms of accommodating members of the NYPD — “particularly those above 50 years of age.”
The third member of the NYPD died on Saturday as a result of the coronavirus, the Advance/SiLive.com reported.
“We have lost three members of our family in a little over 48 hours,” Shea said. “As I stand here, I cannot begin to describe what we are feeling; what the families are feeling. We are hurting. We are crying. And we continue to fight. We have no other choice.”