New York Governor questions Trump's 'enforceable quarantine' suggestion as cases spike

New York state Governor Andrew Cuomo has dismissed a suggestion by President Donald Trump about an enforceable quarantine in the New York City Metro area, saying he doubts such a measure will achieve anything from a medical point of view, even as the number of COVID-19 cases increased rapidly across the state.

Trump said on Saturday said that he is considering an enforceable quarantine "maybe for a short period of time" in the New York City Metro Area due to the increase in the number of coronavirus cases. The New York City Metro Area comprises of New York City, New Jersey and Connecticut. New York reported 52,318 confirmed cases, as of Saturday morning, with 728 deaths across the state. In New Jersey, there were 8,825 cases, with a death toll of 108. Connecticut had nearly 1,300 cases, with 27 deaths.

“I spoke to the president about the ship coming up and the four sites, I didn't speak to him about any quarantine,” Cuomo said at a briefing Saturday afternoon, making a reference to a hospital ship and the four emergency sites being built in New York.

“I don’t even know what that means,” he said.

“I don’t know how that could be legally enforceable. From a medical point of view, I don't know what you would be accomplishing. I don't even like the sound of it,” Cuomo said.

Earlier, Trump said, “we're looking at it and will be making a decision. A lot of the states that are infected - they've asked me if I'd look at it so we're going to look at it. Maybe for a short period of time.” He was replying to a query on an enforceable quarantine in the New York City metropolitan area.

“It would be for a short time” for parts of New York, Connecticut and New Jersey, he said.