NEW YORK (WBEN) -- The number of New Yorkers hospitalized with COVID-19 held steady on Wednesday, but the state also reported nearly 20 new COVID-19 deaths and close to 2,500 new positive test results, Gov. Andrew Cuomo said Thursday.
Of the 168,353 COVID-19 test results that came back in the state on Wednesday, 2,499, or 1.48 percent, were positive, Cuomo said in a release.
Western New York had the state's highest positivity rate outside focus areas at 2.5%.
The state also reported 19 new COVID-19-related fatalities, its highest daily death toll since June 22, when 27 fatalities were reported.
One of the people who passed away was from the Bronx; four were from Broome County; one was from Columbia County; four were from Brooklyn; one was from Manhattan; one was from Nassau County; one was from Queens; one was from Rensselaer County' one was from Rockland County; two were from Suffolk County; one was from Tioga County; and one was from Westchester County, the governor said.
As of Wednesday, 1,085 people in the state were hospitalized with COVID-19, 237 of whom were in intensive care and 14 of whom were on ventilators.
The state's infection rate excluding its COVID-19 hotspots was 1.25 percent. The hotspots reported a 3.24 percent infection rate, Cuomo said.
"COVID-19 has had untold impacts on New Yorkers' physical and mental health, and it's critical that everyone stays vigilant as we move into the winter and COVID fatigue sets in," he said in a statement.
"New Yorkers should wear masks, socially distance and wash their hands, and local governments should continue to practice careful enforcement," he added. "This night has been long, but we will see the sun on the horizon again if we stay New York Tough."
