People spend the day at Orchard Beach ahead of the July 4th holiday on July 3, 2020 in the Bronx borough of New York City. (Photo by Byron Smith/Getty Images)
NEW YORK - Governor Andrew Cuomo announced Saturday that new COVID-19 cases in New York state dropped by nearly 200, just one day after the state recorded over 900 positive cases for the first time in three weeks.
Just 726 people tested positive for coronavirus on Friday, 1.16 percent of the 62,403 tests conducted.
New York had seen a recent, slow increase in its positive coronavirus numbers over the last few days, with 918 tests coming back positive on July 3.
"New Yorkers bent the curve of this deadly virus by being smart and taking proper precautions throughout this pandemic, and that's reflected in yesterday's low hospitalizations and rate of positive tests," Governor Cuomo said in a statement. "However, our actions today determine our numbers tomorrow, and as we move through this holiday weekend, I strongly urge everyone to closely follow state guidance on safe practices and local governments to enforce that guidance. Being New York tough means being New York smart: wear a mask, wash your hands and practice social distancing."
Total hospitalizations also dropped to 844 people, while there were an additional 11 COVID-19 fatalities.
A total of 396,598 people in New York have tested positive for coronavirus during the pandemic, while the death toll currently stands at 24,896.