NY coronavirus cases jump to 30,000

NEW YORK - The number of positive coronavirus cases in the state has jumped to 30,811 by Wednesday morning, Gov. Andrew Cuomo said.   17,856 of those cases were in New York City.

He warned that the apex for infections in the state was 21 days away.

In a piece of good news, Cuomo says the density reduction plan appears to be working based on projections.  The number of hospitalizations was doubling every 3.4 days on Monday but the rate had dropped to doubling every 4.7 days based on Tuesday's projections.

The governor repeated his warning that the state only has 53,000 available beds and will need as many as 140,000.  About 15 percent of people who test positive are requiring hospitalization.

As of Wednesday, about three percent of the cases in the state have required ICU care.  There are 888 ICU patients.

"Our closeness makes us vulnerable- that spatial closeness makes us vulnerable. But our closeness is who we are. It's what makes us special. It is what makes us so connected to one another. That closeness is that New York humanity that, I think, exists nowhere else," Cuomo said.

The governor warned of a huge budget shortfall due to the coronavirus.  He says the Senate corona relief bill that appears to be headed for passage will provide $3 billion to the state.  Cuomo says the losses might hit $15 billion.