NY state reports 2,061 new COVID cases, 1,045 hospitalizations
WNY rate is 1.1%
NEW YORK (WBEN/WINS) -- New York state reported over 2,000 new coronavirus cases and more than 1,000 total hospitalizations on Saturday as the U.S. sees a surge of the virus.
Gov. Andrew Cuomo said there were 2,061 positive cases, 1.31% of the 156,940 tests conducted.
The daily number of cases is up from the 1,637 reported Friday. The state last reported over 2,000 new cases on Wednesday, when 2,026 were reported. Wednesday was the first time the daily case number surpassed 2,000 since May.
Of the new cases, 511 were reported in the state's "focus zone areas"—including clusters in New York City and Rockland and Orange counties—while 1,550 were outside of those areas.
The statewide positivity rate, including the focus areas, was 1.31%, while the state's rate was 1.13% without the areas. The infection rate in the focus areas was 2.58%.
The Western New York positivity rate as of Friday was 1.1%, down from 1.4% Thursday.
The total number of cases statewide since the pandemic began is now 493,832.
The number of hospitalizations reported Saturday was 1,045, up slightly from the 1,023 hospitalizations reported Friday.
Of those hospitalized, 231 were in intensive care and 113 required intubation.
The state also reported 11 more deaths Saturday, bringing the death toll to 25,718.
"As new cases climb across the country, in New York we are continuing our strategy of aggressively targeting micro-clusters whenever they pop up and implementing measures to stop any potential spread quickly," Cuomo said in a statement Saturday.
"We are able to be surgical in our approach because we have developed such large testing and contact tracing programs. The news from around the country is another reminder that while we have come a long way, this pandemic is not over and we must remain vigilant: wear a mask, wash your hands, socially distance and be New York Tough. The only way to beat this thing is through compliance of public health law and by taking care of one another," the governor said.
