Kristin F. Dalton kdalton@siadvance.com

Richmond University Medical Center (RUMC) has temporarily suspended visitation at the West Brighton hospital due to the increase in coronavirus cases.

As of Monday, visitation was suspended with the fol-lowing exceptions: › Pediatrics and NICU. One caregiver/support person

(limited to a parent, guardian, or family care partner) per pediatric patient is permitted on the unit.

› Labor and delivery. One support person and/or trained doula are allowed to be with the patient during antepartum, labor, delivery and postpartum care. The designated support person should remain the same during the course of admission.

› Emergency department. Only one support person per pediatric patient is permitted and limited to a parent or caregiver. All other exceptions in the emergency department will be made by the medical staff.Visitors that are permitted must be 18 years old or

older and must undergo a travel history, symptom screening and temperature check. Visitors are required to wear a mask for the duration of their time in RUMC.

In extenuating circumstances — such as end-of-life, patients with intellectual and/or developmental dis-abilities and other cognitive impairments — RUMC may grant temporary visitation, the hospital said.

In all situations, only one visitor is permitted at a patient’s bedside at any given time.

“Over the last several weeks the hot spots on Staten Island are migrating across the island towards us, and we are concerned about that,” said RUMC President and CEO Dr. Daniel Messina, adding the hospital is nearing its 50% threshold with COVID-19 cases.

Messina said the hospital had to take the step and restrict visitation to continue to keep its patients, staff, and the community safe, which is the hospital’s first pri-ority.

“We’re anxious to know what is the new normal. We have a way to go, but until the vaccine really kicks and its protective measures also take time. We will see, but for right now, this is what’s keeping everybody safe,” he said.

VISITATION ALSO RESTRICTED AT SIUH’S OCEAN BREEZE CAMPUS

As of Dec. 6, visitation at Staten Island University Hos-pital’s (SIUH) Ocean Breeze campus has been restricted until further notice. However, a hospital spokesman said there are exceptions to the visitation policy: › Labor and delivery. One designated support person

during labor and delivery. If a doula is requested, the doula may be an additional support person during labor and delivery. The designated support person is permitted to visit during the postpartum period from 12 to 8 p.m.

› Imminent end of life. One family member and/or legal representative may be a support person. Up to two people can be designated a support person but only

THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC

RUMC suspends visitation due to increase in cases

Homicides on Staten Island

21Number of people that had been either stabbed or shot to death on Staten Island as of Monday.

300%increase in homicides seen in the 120th Precinct compared to this time last year according to the latest CompStat data.

250%increase in homicides seen in the 121th Precinct compared to this time last year according to the latest CompStat data.

Law enforcement officials, community activists and other experts believe there are several reasons why Staten Island has seen more homicides in 2020 than in years past. Among them include reform and socioeconomic issues. Jan Somma-Hammel, Staten Island Advance

THE YEAR IN REVIEW CRIME

What’s behind borough’s spike in homicides?

Kyle Lawson klawson@siadvance.com

A father who shot his adult son in a domestic dispute. An unassuming mother caught in the crossfire of a gang-related feud. A couple slaughtered in what author-ities indicated was a botched robbery.

Police have so far responded to the most homicides on Staten Island this year since 2016, while experts on all sides of the issue have weighed in on the factors that appear to be driving the disturbing trend.

As of Monday, 21 people had been either shot or stabbed to death on Staten Island. That’s compared to 13 homicides in 2019; 10 in 2018, and 13 in 2017, according to the NYPD’s historical database.

According to the latest CompStat data, the 120th Precinct — which stretches from West Brighton to Clifton on the borough’s North Shore — has so far seen a 300% increase in homicides, compared to the same time last year.

In the 121st Precinct — which covers the western half of the North Shore, in addi-tion to the West Shore — residents have seen a 250% increase since last year.

The number of fatalities surged in the summer and fall months, as law enforce-ment officials, community activists and other experts weighed in on the reasons for the bloodshed.

Some have pointed to recent changes in police tactics and bail reforms passed in Albany, while others say past methods

of policing impoverished neighborhoods have only aggravated underlying socioeco-nomic issues that’s often resulted in vio-lent crime.

Most, however, agree that a year marked in death, joblessness and civil unrest across New York City hasn’t helped the sit-uation.

PERSONAL IN NATUREThe city’s top officials have pointed to

several factors in 2020 they believe con-tributed to a sense of frustration, grief and hopelessness for many across the city — boiling over into fatal confrontations.

In September, on a typically quiet street in Grasmere, a 68-year-old father allegedly killed his adult son with a rifle blast during a dispute at the family’s home.

The defendant, Joseph Smith, told authorities following his arrest that he and his wife felt threatened by their 32- year-old son, who shares the same name as the defendant.

Earlier this month, when a woman was found stabbed to death inside her Tomp-kinsville apartment, it was deemed by authorities to have likely been a domes-tic-related crime.

Police charged the victim’s live-in boy-friend, 39-year-old Milton Bolton, in con-nection with the incident. Friends and

Police have responded to the most homicides on S.I. this year since 2016

Irene Spezzamonte ispezzamonte@siadvance.com

There was an incessant sound of sirens as emergency calls mounted in the spring.

Final goodbyes to loved ones at immensely scaled-down funerals.

And the deaths of hundreds who took their last breaths alone as family members were barred from their sides due to emer-gency coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic restrictions.

In the nearly 300 days since the corona-virus first hit Staten Island, our lives were drastically changed.

Yet as 2020 ends, the vaccine’s arrival sparked hope for the future.

What follows is a look at how the virus grew from a single confirmed case to a staggering toll on Staten Island the last 10 months:

OUR FIRST CASESOn March 9, Staten Island reported the

borough’s first confirmed coronavirus case: An EMS worker stationed in Brook-lyn who, sources told the Advance/SILive.com at the time, got the virus after his girl-friend, a flight attendant, returned from a trip overseas.

Since then, the virus spread relentlessly from the North Shore to the South Shore.

Christopher DiBenedetto, 32, a regis-tered nurse from Great Kills, described being “ice cold” while infected with the virus and having body aches that were “worse than having the flu.” Robert Cal-las, 35, of Westerleigh, said he “saw death” after surviving an 88-day battle with the disease.

DiBenedetto and Callas are only two

of the nearly 30,000 positive tests con-firmed on Staten Island since the outbreak started.

They came out on the other side of COVID.

Many, however, did not.

THOSE WE LOSTOn March 20, the first fatalities on

Staten Island were reported.More than 1,200 have succumbed to

complications of the virus so far.The victims were from all walks of life.Pietro Scarso, 76, and Rita Scarso, 72,

of Tottenville, were married for 49 years when they passed away a week apart — on March 31 and on April 8 respectively — after testing positive for COVID-19.

THE YEAR IN REVIEW COVID-19

A look at COVID: Death, controversy — and hope for 2021

Tottenville couple Pietro and Rita Scarso succumbed to complications of COVID-19, one week apart at Staten Island University Hospital in Prince’s Bay. Courtesy Scarso family

Comics, B5, 6 Dining, C1 Historic page, A9 Lottery, A2 Obituaries, A7 Opinion, A8 Puzzles, C3 Sports, B1 Weather, A10 World news, A6

$2.50 WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 30, 2020 BRE AKING & LOCAL NE WS AT SILIVE .COM

Coronavirus on Staten Island

1,261 Deaths, both confirmed and probable.

29,772 Confirmed cases.

Latest figures as of Tuesday, Dec. 29, 2020 Source: NYC Department of Health

SEE VISITATION, A2

SEE HOPE FOR 2021, A7

SEE HOMICIDES, A10