NEW YORK (1010 WINS) -- Daily coronavirus hospitalizations in New York reached their lowest level since mid-March on Saturday, but daily deaths remained "infuriatingly constant," Gov. Andrew Cuomo said.
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Deaths rose by 226 from 21,045 deaths to 21,271, Cuomo said at his daily briefing.
"This is not welcome news, and this has been heartbreaking every day," the governor said. "You see how that number has been infuriatingly constant—226 is where we were five days ago. So we would like to see that number dropping at a far faster rate than it has been dropping.
There were 330,407 total cases reported statewide as of Saturday.
Cuomo said there were 572 new hospitalizations since Friday.
"It hasn't been at that level since we started" around March 20, Cuomo said.
The governor also said a third child had died from a mysterious illness associated with COVID-19. On Friday, officials said a New York City boy and a Westchester boy had died from the illness.
"This is the last thing we need at this time," Cuomo said of the death. "With all that's going on, with all the anxiety we have."
The governor said at least 73 children in the state have the severe illness connected to COVID-19, the symptoms of which are similar to Kawaski disease and toxic shock-like syndrome. It is known as pediatric multi-symptom inflammatory syndrome.
Cuomo also announced that New York is partnering with Northwell Health to open 24 temporary COVID testing sites at churches in predominantly low-income communities and communities of color. The governor said a survey found these communities in Brooklyn and the Bronx have a greater percentage of COVID-19 hospitalizations and infections than New York City overall.
"We must address the racial disparities of this pandemic, and meet the need where it is," Cuomo said.
Cuomo also gave new results from the state's ongoing antibody survey, which shows who has been exposed to the virus and developed antibodies to it.
The survey found 14.2 percent of transit workers, 12.2 percent of health care workers, 10.5 percent of NYPD members and 17.1 percent of FDNY members had COVID-19 antibodies.
In New York City, 19.9 percent of the population had the antibodies.
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