NEW YORK (1010 WINS) -- Gov. Andrew Cuomo said Wednesday that "New York state is doing great" on fighting the coronavirus, but he warned "there are storm clouds on the horizon" as compliance with coronavirus measures "slips" in New York City and cases continue to rise nationwide.
"We have dark clouds on the horizon," Cuomo said at a briefing as he pointed out "citizen compliance is slipping" in New York City, especially among young people, and that 35 states are seeing an increase in COVID-19 infection rates.
"New York City—we have new problems," the governor said. "Look at pictures. Look at any street in Manhattan. Go to the East Village. Go to the West Side. Go to Brooklyn. Go to Queens. Go to the Bronx. Citizen compliance is slipping."
The governor said the other "storm cloud" is that "the virus is increasing" across the country.
"We have 16 states that are now quarantined from New York. Last week it was only eight. Now it's 16," Cuomo said. "That's how fast the infection is spreading. Chances are whatever we do, people from those 16 states are going to make their way here. And that's how we got infected the first time."
The governor said New York state was first infected by people coming from Europe earlier this year. Now, he said, the infections will come from elsewhere in the United States.
Hours after Mayor Bill de Blasio announced indoor dining had been indefinitely postponed in New York City, Cuomo echoed those sentiments, saying it wasn't safe to do in the city given the circumstances nationwide.
"Phase 3 dining we are going to postpone, and it's going to be postponed until the facts change and it is prudent to open," Cuomo said. "At this point it is imprudent. Everything else is going to continue. Everything else is continuing all across the state. This is a New York City–only modification, because frankly it is a problem that is most pronounced in New York City."
Cuomo said New York continues to monitor the situation nationwide and that the state is creating its own enforcement department to supplement local enforcement of COVID-19 mandates.
"We are seeing troubling signs across the country that we should be concerned about, and I am concerned about them," Cuomo said. "This is not over and this can still rear its ugly head anywhere in this nation and in this state."
Cuomo warned "states that were in denial" like Texas and Florida were now seeing spikes in cases after reopening. "Now they're all singing a different tune. Now they're all starting to say, 'We better take this seriously.'"
Cuomo also slammed President Donald Trump, saying he denied reality and the science around coronavirus, including advice from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
"He was in denial of the COVID virus from day one," Cuomo said of the president. "He denied the reality of this situation from day one."
"Reality wins every time," Cuomo added. "Denying reality does not defeat reality. And he has lived in denial."
Cuomo said "now the country is suffering because of the president" and "it's time for him to change course."
The governor said the president needs to admit the virus is a threat, mobilize the country and "put a mask on it," referring to the president's hesitancy to wear a mask in public.
Meanwhile, "New York State is doing great" on its coronavirus numbers, Cuomo said.
The governor said the state's testing capacity was so large now that it was opening up COVID-19 testing to all New York residents statewide.
"We are now opening testing to all New Yorkers. We have that much capacity. All New Yorkers can now go get a test," Cuomo said. "And what I'm saying to all New Yorkers today is, 'Go get a test.'"
There were 879 hospitalizations in the state on Tuesday, he said, adding that hospitalizations have been under 900 for four straight days and that they'd reached their lowest five-day average since the outbreak began on March 18.
The number of deaths on Tuesday was 11, while the three-day average of deaths was 10, Cuomo said.
On Tuesday, 56,710 tests were conducted across the state, with 625 people testing positive—a positivity rate of 1.1 percent.