Onondaga County Executive reports 5th COVID-19 death, shuts down golf courses, imposes voluntary shelter-in-place

Fifth death

The Onondaga County Health Department has received hospital notification of a fifth confirmed COVID-19 death.

The person who passed away was a man in his early 60s who had underlying health conditions and had been hospitalized. Citing “medical privacy,” the department said it won’t be releasing additional information on the individual.

“Obviously, we’re thinking about the families of this individual and everybody else’s families over the week,” McMahon said.

It was the fourth death in four days in the county, with one death announced Saturday and two on Thursday.

Onondaga County now has 364 coronavirus cases, up from 349 cases on Saturday. McMahon also reported 28 people are in the hospital, 17 of whom are in critical condition. To this point, 113 people have recovered and have been released from mandatory isolation.

Golf course closures

All golf courses, public and private, will be closed until April 28, effective Monday evening at 8 p.m.

“The only exclusion to this order are state-operated courses in our county,” said McMahon. “Why is that?  We go through a process now when we make these executive orders where the New York State Health Department approves our executive orders. The [department] did not approve us shutting down state-run golf courses.”

McMahon’s executive order seeks to improve the county’s efforts in social distancing during the coronavirus pandemic.

“We need your buy in and we need your sacrifice now,” McMahon implored the public..

Voluntary shelter-in-place

Besides closing golf courses, McMahon is also asking Onondaga County residents for a voluntary shelter-in-place “unless you are considered an essential employee to an essential business.”

“I now the need the public to buy in even more,” said McMahon.

The voluntary shelter-in-place takes effect Tuesday, April 7 and continues through Tuesday, April 21.

If you were born in an even year, you’re asked to make any essential trips or take any walks in the local parks on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays. If you’re born in an odd year, you’re asked to make your essential trips and visits to local parks on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays.

As for Sundays, McMahon said those born in odd years can “go out” on the first Sunday (April 12) and those born in even years can “go out” the following Sunday (April 19)

“This a voluntary process, but it’s a necessary one. And if we want to get back to normal … we need to flatten the curve and we need to flatten it now. And this will help with that,” the county executive said.