Cuomo Says New York Is At The Lowest Daily Number Of COVID-19 Deaths And Hospitalizations Since The Pandemic Started
TARRYTOWN, N.Y. (CBSNewYork) - Gov. Andrew Cuomo touted further progress Monday in the ongoing battle against coronavirus in New York.
The news comes as parts of the state gear up for Phase 3 reopening.
"All of the numbers so far have been very good in New York. We're hitting a new high - which is really a new low - but in this case, low is good. The lowest number of hospitalizations since this has started. Amen. The lowest number of deaths on a three day average since this has started," Cuomo said.
Those numbers are 1,608 hospitalizations and 25 COVID-19-related deaths.
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The governor said the death number probably can't get any lower because it is now coming down to what doctors are certifying as the cause of death, and many of those who pass away have other underlying conditions, like heart disease or cancer.
For Phase 3, the governor expanded the number of people who can gather from 10 to 25. Western New York will enter Phase 3 Tuesday and the Capital Region will enter Phase 3 Wednesday.
The governor urged New Yorkers to continue to follow statewide guidance on social distancing and other practices because he said it is working.
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Cuomo delivered a blunt message about enforcing social distancing. He said local governments must enforce it, because if they don't the number of cases will tick up. He spoke out after various Manhattan streets were packed with people hanging out drinking over the weekend.
"So local governments, I say do your job. We know the alternative. You're seeing all across the nation the virus actually increasing. We have 22 states where the virus is increasing. It's a dramatic national turnaround. We are the exception here in New York," he said. "We don't want the same plight of these other states."
The governor said he has called a few restaurant and bar owners personally and told them that, according to photos he's seen, they're in violation. He said the state controls liquor licenses and those restaurants may be in jeopardy of losing theirs. Cuomo said some of those restaurant and bar owners couldn't believe he was the one calling.
