New York continues to make giant strides against the coronavirus pandemic with under 3 percent of people testing positive for the virus in the Big Apple and Long Island — two of the regions hardest hit by the deadly disease, Gov. Andrew Cuomo and Mayor Bill de Blasio announced Wednesday.
“On dealing with the COVID crisis, over the past 101 days, we’re now at a different point. We’re at the point of reopening the economy and moving forward on that,” Cuomo said at his daily press briefing at LaGuardia Airport in Queens.
Every region in the state has reopened from the coronavirus shutdown with New York City in the initial stage of a restart and Westchester, Rockland, Mid-Hudson Valley and Long Island progressing to Phase Two this week.
Cuomo said he’s closely watching the results from 50,000 COVID-19 tests performed statewide each day to determine when to bring each region back to life.
Under 1 percent of Nassau County tests came back positive Wednesday, Cuomo said.
New York City had slightly higher results with 3 percent of people receiving positive results, up from 1 percent a day earlier.
Still, de Blasio called the indicator an “excellent number,” at his City Hall press briefing.
Hospitals across the five boroughs admitted just 67 new COVID-19 patients Monday, the most recent available data. Intensive Care Units at the city’s public hospitals have 341 coronavirus patients.
“Another very good day for New York City,” de Blasio said. “Let’s keep focused – as we go through phase one, and it’s starting really well, let’s keep focus on the social distancing, the face coverings, and when you don’t need to be outside, don’t be outside. It’s working.”