People wait to receive COVID-19 test at a temporary test site at Sunset Park of Brooklyn in New York. (Xinhua/Wang Ying via Getty Images)
NEW YORK - New York Governor Andrew Cuomo announced Saturday that coronavirus hospitalizations in the state have dropped to a new low since March 17.
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NYC Health officials urge regular COVID-19 testing
Health officials are urging New Yorkers to get tested for COVID-19 every month, but some experts say the plan just isn’t realistic.
Just 523 people were hospitalized by the virus on Friday, as the state recorded 88,668 tests, with less than 1 percent coming back positive.
Positive cases in the state totaled 734, and five people died from the coronavirus, an enormous drop from the worst days pandemic in April, when over 1,000 New Yorkers were dying each day.
"In New York, we knew from the beginning that testing would be a key factor in controlling this new virus. 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," Governor Cuomo said. "Yesterday's numbers - especially the new low in hospitalizations - continue to reflect the progress we've made during this pandemic, but we will keep monitoring the data and the alarming increases in cases around the country. My message is the same: stay New York Smart, wash your hands, socially distance, and wear masks!"
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Bowling centers eager to open
Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced that bowling centers may reopen at 50% capacity. Frank Wilkinson, the owner of Rab's Country Lanes, said he and his staff will make it work in the short run. But he said his center has been closed since March 16 and he has tens of thousands of dollars in expenses every month.
The news comes as museums, aquariums in New York City, and bowling alleys across the state prepare to reopen beginning August 24, while new guidance for indoor gyms to reopen will come on August 17.