NEW YORK (1010 WINS) – Gov. Andrew Cuomo said Saturday that New York state reported its lowest number of coronavirus hospitalizations and most coronavirus tests in one day since the pandemic began in mid-March.
Cuomo said hospitalizations had dropped Friday to 523, the lowest number reported since March 17. Hospitalizations had soared past 10,000 at the peak of the outbreak in April.
"Yesterday's numbers - especially the new low in hospitalizations - continue to reflect the progress we've made during this pandemic," Cuomo said in a statement. "But we will keep monitoring the data and the alarming increases in cases around the country."
The governor said a record number of tests had also been conducted in the state Friday—88,668.
"In New York, we knew from the beginning that testing would be a key factor in controlling this new virus," Cuomo said. "We ramped up testing immediately and took a nation-leading role in developing capacity to test as many New Yorkers as possible, and I'm proud that we continue to raise the bar and we've broken our record high once again."
Of those tested, 734 people, or 0.83 percent, were positive for coronavirus.
The 734 new cases bring the state's total number of cases to 424,901.
There were five more deaths from the virus Friday, Cuomo said, bringing the state's death toll to 25,244.
The governor also announced that the State Liquor Authority and State Police Task Force visited 1,344 establishments in New York City and Long Island Friday and that 22 of them were not in compliance with state COVID requirements. They included 12 establishments in Brooklyn, five in the Bronx, three in Manhattan, one in Queens and one in Nassau.
