New York City Shuts Down Entire Subway System for Unprecedented Overnight Disinfection

NEW YORK CITY — In an unprecedented response to unclean conditions amid the COVID-19 outbreak, New York City has ceased its 24-hour subway system, implementing overnight closures beginning in the early morning on May 6. The system’s 472 stations closed for deep cleaning from 1:00 a.m to 5:00 a.m. and will remain closed during those hours until further notice. New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo ordered the shutdown in response to unsafe conditions, including increased crime and homeless sheltering in the subway, despite the Metropolitan Transportation Authority reporting a 90 percent drop in ridership to less than 500,000 passengers per day. New York City remains the epicenter of the virus, and the state had more than 312,800 cases and 24,700 deaths as of May 5, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.