ITHACA, NY (WSKG) - Cayuga Medical Center announced the death of a COVID-19 patient on Friday.
According to the hospital he was one of two people who were recently brought to the hospital as part of "compassionate transfer" of patients from New York City to upstate hospitals. The transfers were in response to an announcement by Governor Andrew Cuomo that New York City COVID-19 patients would be transferred to upstate hospitals with greater capacity to care for them.
A hospital official identified the person as a man with an underlying issue that contributed to his death.
"Our hearts go out to the patient’s family during this difficult time," Martin Stallone, CEO of Cayuga Medical Center*, said in a statement.
Over 50 medical professionals from the hospital went to New York City to help care for COVID-19 patients.
The state reports that New York City has over 60,000 cases confirmed cases of COVID-19. It remains an epicenter of the outbreak.
Tompkins County reported that there were 107 confirmed positive cases of COVID-19 in the county as of Thursday evening.
*Full disclosure: Cayuga Medical Center is a WSKG Underwriter.