Death toll rises to 519 in New York State | 44,635 cases
NEW YORK - Gov. Andew Cuomo gave "the worst news" he could give New Yorkers Friday as he announced the death toll in the state from coronavirus had risen to 519, up from 385 a day earlier.
Speaking from the Jacob K. Javits Center which has been converted into four temporary hospitals, Cuomo said there were now 44,635 positive cases in the state.
"That will continue to go up and that's the worst news I can tell the people from the State of New York," said Cuomo.
The governor attributed the spike in deaths to the number of people who were placed on ventilators about 20 days ago. Most patients placed on the respiratory assistance machines are typically hooked up for three to four days. Coronavirus patients are lasting 20-30 days on the machines.
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There were 1,583 people in intensive care units across the state as of Friday.
2,045 people had been discharged.
Cuomo warned that numbers of positive cases would continue to go up.
"It's not unexpected."
A silver lining in the governor's update included the rate of hospitalizations from the virus across the state appeared to be slowing.
"We want to see the rate slowing, but we also want to see the number of cases lowering," said Cuomo.
Cuomo announced that he would ask the Trump admiinistration for four additional, temporary hospitals be built by the Army Corps of Engineers to respond to the increase in cases.
He ended his prepared remarks by telling New Yorkers, "I say we go out today and kick coronavirus ass."