New York’s coronavirus progress continues, with few deaths, sinking infection rates: Cuomo
Chris Sommerfeldt
Nine New Yorkers died from coronavirus on Thursday, less than 900 were hospitalized and the infection rate remained low, signaling that the Empire State continues to move in the right direction while most other parts of the country are seeing resurgences of the pandemic.
Gov. Cuomo credited New York’s continued progress to widespread compliance with social distancing restrictions and face mask usage.
“Yesterday, hospitalizations continued to decline and we saw a low rate of positive tests, which show the state continues on the right track,” the governor said in a statement Friday. “I cannot repeat enough that our actions today — those of individuals being smart and following all precautions, and local governments enforcing the state’s guidelines — will determine which direction these numbers go.”
Out of 66,392 tests performed across the state on Thursday, 918, or about 1.4%, came back positive, Cuomo said.
Accounting for new patients and discharges, 857 New Yorkers remained hospitalized with COVID-19 on Thursday.
The numbers mark a major improvement from the peak of the state’s coronavirus outbreak in April, when as many as 800 New Yorkers died from the respiratory contagion every day.
Jorge Rodriguez-Gerada, one of the world's most prominent contemporary artists, poses in front of his 20,000 square foot ground mural honoring those who lost their lives to COVID-19 in the epicenter of the pandemic.
Jorge Rodriguez-Gerada, one of the worlds most prominent contemporary artists, works on the completion of a 20,000 square foot ground mural (R) honoring those who lost their lives to COVID-19 in the epicenter of the pandemic on Wednesday, May 27, 2020.
Artist Jorge Rodriguez-Gerad finishes up work on a 20,000 square foot ground mural honoring those who lost their lives to COVID-19 in the epicenter of the pandemic. Rodriguez-Gerada is best known for his massive, viewed-from-above portrait of President Barack Obama, and his monumental piece, Out of Many, One on the National Mall in 2014 that detailed American diversity and the immigrant experience.
The Unisphere, a spherical stainless steel representation of the Earth, is seen from above in Flushing MeadowsCorona Park in the borough of Queens, New York City, just steps from the new COVID-19 memorial. The sphere, which measures 140 feet high and 120 feet in diameter, was commissioned as part of the 1964 New York World's Fair.
An aerial view of Queen's Flushing Meadows Corona Park with the new COVID-19 victims memorial by Jorge Rodriguez-Gerada.
Jorge Rodriguez-Gerada, one of the world’s most prominent contemporary artists, works on a 20,000 square foot ground mural honoring those who lost their lives to COVID-19 in the epicenter of the pandemic.
The empty observation towers of the New York Pavilion hover over Flushing Meadows-Corona Park on May 27, 2020.
Jorge Rodriguez-Gerada, one of the worlds most prominent contemporary artists, can be seen working on the 20,000 square foot ground mural honoring those who lost their lives to COVID-19 in the epicenter of the pandemic.
The empty observation towers of the New York Pavilion hover over Flushing Meadows Corona Park.
The empty observation towers of the New York Pavilion hover over Flushing Meadows-Corona Park.
(L-R) Alfredo Cachero, Lizbeth Mancancela and Jose Ricardo all wearing mask are seen seated on the base of the Unisphere at the Flushing Meadows Corona Park during the coronavirus pandemic outbreak.
Accounting for Thursday’s nine new deaths, 24,885 New Yorkers have lost their lives to COVID-19.
Nationally, the virus has killed nearly 130,000 people — a depressing tally that’s expected to continue to rise as states that rushed to reopen their economies, like Florida and Texas, are suffering mass outbreaks.
Cuomo urged New Yorkers to remain vigilant over the holiday weekend.
“Please wear a mask, social distance, wash your hands,” he said, “and stay New York smart.”
