NY becomes 4th state to record over 1 million positive COVID-19 cases

NEW YORK - New York has reached a new, grim milestone by becoming the fourth state to record one million coronavirus cases according to figures released by Gov. Andrew Cuomo on Saturday.

The number of New Yorkers hospitalized due to COVID-19 dropped slightly on Friday, to 7,814 but the statewide positivity rate remained over 7% according to the latest numbers announced by Governor Andrew Cuomo.

Over 15,000 New Yorkers tested positive for the coronavirus and the state also saw increases in the number of patients in the ICU, 1,321, and the number of ICU patients that were intubated, 786.

Experts say the official number of coronavirus cases represents a significant undercount, since many people in the New York City area were infected with the coronavirus last spring when testing was largely unavailable.

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"With 2020 now behind us, we can see brighter days ahead, but to get there quickly, it's going to take all New Yorkers staying smart and staying united," Governor Cuomo said in a statement. "We have the vaccine, and that is good news, but it will be months before we've reached critical mass, making it as important as ever that we do not let COVID fatigue get the best of us. The state is working around the clock with the medical community to not only ensure vaccines are distributed as quickly and efficiently as possible, but to also continue growing bed capacity so hospitals do not become overwhelmed. As daunting as it may seem after all this time, it's critical that the rest of us remain tough and keep up our efforts to slow the spread. We've already come so far and we will finally reach that light at the end of the tunnel if we all just do our part."

New York is the fourth state to report more than 1 million positive COVID-19 tests after California, Texas and Florida. New York reported 128 COVID-19 deaths on Friday.

The U.S. surpassed 20 million coronavirus cases on Friday, according to data from Johns Hopkins University and nearly 350,000 Americans have died.

With the Associated Press.