Cuomo: COVID positivity rate in NY lowest since Thanksgiving

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People cross the street after a winter storm hit New York City. (Photo by ANGELA WEISS/AFP via Getty Images)

NEW YORK - New York's COVID-19 positivity rate has fallen to the lowest number since before Thanksgiving, Governor Andrew Cuomo announced on Saturday.

Cuomo said the state's seven-day rolling average positivity rate has fallen for 43 straight days, dropping to 3.5% on Friday. The number of people hospitalized with the coronavirus, meanwhile, fell below 6,000 for the first time since Dec. 14.

Cuomo 97 New Yorkers died of the coronavirus on Friday, bringing the state's official death total to 37,776.

"Our ability to beat back COVID is entirely dependent on our actions, and the post-holiday reduction in positivity and hospitalizations demonstrates that New Yorkers are continuing to do the right things to stay safe," Cuomo said in a statement. "As these numbers go down, vaccinations are going up, and that means we’re making real progress toward the light at the end of the tunnel."

The new numbers came as the state also launched NY PopsUp, a pilot program that will feature the first indoor live performances since the pandemic began. The festival begins Saturday at the Javits Center in Manhattan and is being coordinated with state public health officials.

With the Associated Press.