Cuomo: Shutdown 'totally avoidable' as NY breaks single-day COVID record

NEW YORK - New York broke its single-day record for positive COVID-19 tests on Thursday with 12,697.

The number is the largest number of positive tests recorded since April 14, while another 120 fatalities due to the virus were reported.

Governor Andrew Cuomo and Mayor Bill de Blasio are once again at odds over whether the city will shut down again due to the coronavirus pandemic.

New York City itself reported 2,805 new cases and the seven-day average positivity rate ticked up again to 6.16%, leading de Blasio to say that those numbers could lead to a possible two-week pause after Christmas.

However, Governor Cuomo disagreed, saying a shutdown is not inevitable.

"I believe New Yorkers can slow the spread and hospitals can manage the increase," Cuomo said at a press conference on Friday afternoon.

A hospital must notify the state when it hits 85% capacity, then three weeks later it would trigger a shutdown. Cuomo says that right now, no hospitals in the state are near 85% capacity.

In neighboring New Jersey, statewide hospitalizations fell for the second straight day, as the state reported just 3,975 new positive COVID-19 cases.