41 New York MTA Workers Have Died of Coronavirus

Among the nearly 5,500 deaths from a new coronavirus in New York are 41 MTA employees, according to MTA Chairman Patrick Foye.

New York, where the MTA serves, has been hit hardest with the new coronavirus that causes COVID-19 and as of Tuesday, 138,863 people have tested positive. Foye, who tested positive for the virus in late March, told WCBS Radio Wednesday morning that an estimated 1,500 MTA employees have tested positive for the virus.

"[They] have been throughout this entire pandemic, acting heroically," Foye said of his colleagues. "We mourn the loss of every one of our colleagues."

Deemed essential workers, MTA employees have continued to keep the subway and inter-state trains running. Although they've been supplied with masks and gloves, according to Foye, going to work increases a person's chance of being exposed to the virus and employees calling out sick caused complications for social distancing.

Foye called complaints about overcrowding on the subway "episodic," adding that they believe it "is a thing of the past." Service was restored to the number two train, which was down because of employees getting sick and being unable to work. The MTA also redeployed 50 buses to alleviate the number of people in one space.

New York Governor Andrew Cuomo closed all non-essential businesses on March 22 and ordered everyone to work from home if they were able. Over the course of the epidemic, Cuomo's also canceled gatherings of all sizes, closed playgrounds and asked people to stay at home unless it was essential that they leave.

Cuomo's expressed frustration at the number of people not following the social distancing policy and increased the fine to $1,000. But, MTA data shows a vast majority of people have limited their normal movements. As of Monday, ridership on the subway was down 92 percent, something that Foye called a "mixed blessing."

"Ordinarily I would not be rooting for ridership to be down but obviously that's a good thing because people are heeding the governor's directive," Foye said. "However, that is going to have a significant financial toll on the MTA."

The MTA received $4 billion from the federal stimulus package and the chairman said the agency is going to need more. He didn't share a specific dollar amount but said they're prepared to make the case that New York's recovery is dependent on the MTA.

Public transportation must continue to run during the epidemic because first responders and medical personnel have to still get to work. Foye told New Yorkers who are not going to work or somewhere that's absolutely essential to stay off the subway and buses.

According to a contract ratified in January, an estimated 40,000 New York City transit workers are guaranteed $500,000 if they die in the line of duty. Succumbing to a new coronavirus constitutes that, according to union president John Samuelsen. Samuelsen told the New York Daily News that workers who die from COVID-19 are "damn sure a line-of-duty death."

In a comment to the Daily News, MTA spokeswoman Abbey Collins said the federal government should "step up and provide a legislative presumption and dedicated funding." Samuelsen advocated for the MTA to pay benefits immediately and then get reimbursed.

Newsweek reached out to the MTA but did not receive a response in time for publication.

On Tuesday, Cuomo said he believed a compensation package for first responders, health care and transit workers who die from the virus would "come up" and is an "important thing to look at."

"I mean, they know what they're exposing themselves to and they still do it. Just God bless them," Cuomo said.