NEW YORK (WBEN) – New York surpassed 2 million COVID-19 cases on Thursday even as the state's hospitalizations and positivity rates dropped to lows not seen in months.
The state reached 2,002,512 total cases since the pandemic began, an increase of 4,996 new cases from Wednesday's 1,997,516.
Even as the state crossed the 2-million-case mark, Gov. Andrew Cuomo said statewide hospitalizations had reached their lowest number since Nov. 29 at 3,567 patients, a decline of 190 patients from the day before.
The number of patients in intensive care declined by 6 to 811, the fewest since Dec. 3. The number of intubated patients also declined by 6 to 499, the fewest since Dec. 7.
The state's single-day and seven-day positivity rates also reached their lowest levels since early November, Cuomo said.
The single-day positivity rate was 2.06%, the lowest since Nov. 5, while the seven-day positivity rate was 2.57%, the lowest since Nov. 1.
The state reported another 45 deaths, bringing the death toll to 41,678 people since the pandemic began, according to state data. A tally by John Hopkins University puts the state's death toll much higher at 51,732 people.
COVID-19 patients on April 20: 345 COVID-19 patients were hospitalized in WNY, 88 in the ICU. Erie Co. hospitals had 296 patients (up 3), 76 in the ICU, 58 on an airway assist, 6 died and 60% of the patients were aged 64 and under. pic.twitter.com/Hujh6eIg8B
— Erie County Department of Health 😷 (@ECDOH) April 22, 2021
