The lawyer who turned the coronavirus ‘affected person zero’ in Westchester mentioned in a brand new interview that, when docs first examined him, there was “no point out” of the lethal sickness that has since contaminated greater than 335,000 within the state.
Lawrence Garbuz — who was revealed on March 2 to be the first-known provider in New Rochelle, the place the contagion shortly unfold — spoke out about his ordeal for the primary time in a sit-down set to air Monday on NBC Information’ “TODAY.”
“I simply thought it was a cough. A winter cough and fairly frankly, I’m not sure that any of the type of medical workers had been desirous about that originally once they examined me,” Garbuz mentioned in a clip of the interview, along with his spouse Adina by his aspect.
Requested whether or not the virus got here up throughout his first go to to the physician, Garbuz mentioned: “By no means. There was no point out of it in any respect.”
The 50-year-old legal professional was the second particular person within the state revealed to have examined optimistic for COVID-19. He was launched from the hospital in late March.
At one level throughout his sickness, Garbuz needed to be positioned in a medically induced coma, sources beforehand instructed The Submit.
A dad of 4, Garbuz, who rode the Metro-North practice to get to his boutique Manhattan regulation agency, doubtless contracted the sickness regionally.
It shortly unfold amongst dozens in his neighborhood — which turned the primary coronavirus hotspot within the nation — prompting Gov. Andrew Cuomo to ascertain a mile-in-radius “containment zone” centered on the household’s synagogue.
At the very least 1,341 individuals in Westchester County have succumbed to the virus, in keeping with state information. On the peak of the outbreak, the county was reporting 30 to 40 deaths a day.
Greater than 31,000 individuals there have been contaminated.