New Rochelle lawyer is ‘awake and on the road to full recovery’ 

The New York lawyer who is patient zero in the New Rochelle coronavirus outbreak which led the state to set up a one-mile containment zone in the area is ‘awake and on the road to full recovery’, according to his wife. 

Adina Lewis Garbuz said her husband Lawrence Garbuz, 50, is ‘awake and alert and seems to be on the road to full recovery,’ in a Facebook post Wednesday.

Concerns had been mounting for his welfare when his condition deteriorated and he was placed into a medically-induced coma last week. 

The Manhattan attorney was among the first to be diagnosed with coronavirus in New York and passed it on to dozens, after he commuted between the city and his home in Westchester County. 

The outbreak prompted New York state Governor Andrew Cuomo to set up a one-mile containment zone in the community where he lived. 

Garbuz’s wife Adina confirmed that his condition has improved and though he ‘still has healing to do… [he] is on a very good trajectory.’

She went on to say that the lawyer had ‘no idea what was wrong with him’ and that his first thought was concern that he might have spread the virus onto other people.  

‘Now aware of his diagnosis, he first worries about spreading the virus to others. His second worry is about when he will get to see his family. He wants me to make sure to make others aware so they don’t get it,’ Adina wrote. 

The New York lawyer (left) who is patient zero in the New Rochelle coronavirus outbreak which led the state to set up a one-mile containment zone in the area is ‘awake and on the road to full recovery’, according to his wife (right)

Adina posted on Facebook Wednesday saying her husband’s condition has improved and though he ‘still has healing to do… [he] is on a very good trajectory.’ She went on to say that the lawyer had ‘no idea what was wrong with him’ and that his first thought was concern that he might have spread the virus onto other people

Garbuz is also ‘trying to comprehend a world where no one goes out, no social gatherings, no religious services, no Purim!!’ she added.  

News of his recovery comes as the Westchester County community where he lives remains in lockdown for at least another week.

Schools, houses of worship and large gathering places in the suburb were closed for 14 days last Thursday in desperate efforts to stop the spread of the disease in the area. 

Cuomo made the shock move to set up the one-mile containment area after the community became the epicenter of the state’s outbreak.

The zone centers around the Temple Young Israel of New Rochelle synagogue attended by Garbuz and his family. 

News of his recovery comes as the Westchester County community where he lives remains in lockdown (above) for at least another week

National Guard soldier holds food for local residents at the WestCop community centerin New Rochelle on Wednesday

Volunteer Rhiannon Navin and US National Guard troops put together meals for distribution to local residents in the containment zone on Wednesday: Schools, houses of worship and large gathering places in the suburb were closed for 14 days last Thursday in desperate efforts to stop the spread of the disease in the area

The National Guard have been deployed to the area to assist with cleaning public spaces and to deliver food to homes where people are currently self-quarantined.

Garbuz’s wife had taken to social media earlier in the week to keep the community updated about her husband’s progress and to plead with the public to stop their ‘irrational bad behaviors’ against her family over the outbreak. 

Her pleas came after Garbuz was branded a ‘super-spreader’ after he was linked to more than 100 confirmed cases in the county in a matter of days.  

The attorney, who had not traveled to any country linked with the virus but had recently returned from Miami, first fell ill on February 28. 

Navin is seen wearing a mask in the zone: Cuomo made the shock move to set up the one-mile containment area after the community became the epicenter of the state’s outbreak

The zone centers around the Temple Young Israel of New Rochelle synagogue attended by Garbuz and his family and the National Guard (pictured) have been deployed to the area to assist with cleaning public spaces and to deliver food to homes where people are currently self-quarantined

Members of the guard assist residents in the area Wednesday: Garbuz’s wife had taken to social media earlier in the week to keep the community updated about her husband’s progress and to plead with the public to stop their ‘irrational bad behaviors’ against her family over the outbreak

Westchester County found itself the epicenter of the state’s outbreak last week when Garbuz  fell ill with coronavirus at the end of February 

His neighbor in New Rochelle drove him to the New York Presbyterian Lawrenence Hospital in Bronxville, New York after he started having trouble breathing.

Doctors initially assumed he had pneumonia and he was put in a regular room before being moved to intensive care as he condition deteriorated.

It took four days for him to be diagnosed with coronavirus on March 2, when he became the first case of community spread of the virus in New York.

Before his diagnosis was confirmed, he had come into contact with dozens of doctors and other patients.

Health officials immediately started to retrace his steps and started testing those he had come into contact with.

This map shows the schools, churches and synagogues in a one-mile radius of Young Israel New Rochelle, which is at the center of the coronavirus cluster 

In addition to hospital staff, it emerged he had come into contact with members of his Temple Young Israel of New Rochelle synagogue, employees and his law firm and friends.

His immediate family, including his wife, 20-year-old son and 14-year-old daughter all tested positive.

The neighbor who drove him to the hospital also contracted the disease.

It then emerged his friend’s family of five, including three children, tested positive.

Medical staff at the hospital, members of his law firm and attendees at the Temple Young Israel of New Rochelle synagogue, of which Garbuz is a member, also became confirmed as cases.      

Manhattan lawyer Lawrence Gurbiz was confirmed as a positive case of coronavirus, and has been linked to cases across the county