Number of NYPD members with coronavirus rises to more than 1,400

The number of New York Police Department (NYPD) officers with the coronavirus rose to more than 1,400 Wednesday, according to the department’s commissioner, Dermot Shea. 

During an interview with CNN’s Jim Sciutto, the television host confirmed with the commissioner that more than 1,400 officers have tested positive for the virus, while about 17 percent of the officers are out sick, according to the department’s latest tally. 

“The message is to all New Yorkers, ‘We’re all in this together,” Shea said. “Certainly the NYPD is a part of that, uniform and civilian members — it’s all of us.”

More than 1,400 NYPD officers have tested positive for coronavirus and 17% of the force is out sick, per a law enforcement source.

“The mantra here is next woman, next man up,” Commissioner Dermot Shea tells @JimSciutto.

“We’ve had people return [from coronavirus]… to help.” pic.twitter.com/CeitHhFniG

— CNN Newsroom (@CNNnewsroom) April 1, 2020

The most recent tally from the NYPD comes as New York City has been ravaged by the disease, with the number of confirmed cases climbing more than 43,000 in the area as of Wednesday morning. 

Shea acknowledged the absences create challenges for the police to meet their duties, but sounded a confident note.

“[We’re] going the best we can to get out of this as soon as possible,” Shea said. “It’s a constant state of planning. Before this crisis ever took place, and certainly hour to hour during this. … We are scrambling but that shouldn’t have a negative connotation. We are able to handle many, many different tasks here. We’re still fighting crime, there’s still great work taking place.” 

“We are reaching out more than ever to New Yorkers that need help, whether its delivering food, calling domestic violence victims to make sure they’re safe, and we’re still out there on patrol.” 

The department announced Saturday that an NYPD detective had passed away due to complications related to coronavirus, the first sworn member to die from the disease. 

New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo (D) on Wednesday announced that the state’s death toll was more than 1,900, and the number of confirmed cases of the virus in the tri-state area has yet to reach its peak.