The number of people staying in New York hospitals due to the coronavirus dropped below 800 for the first time since March, another sign of progress in the state's effort to combat the virus and prevent outbreaks amid a national rise in cases.
Late Friday, NBC News reported the U.S. reached a record number of positive coronavirus cases in a single day: more than 70,000. Nationwide, the number of confirmed coronavirus cases has passed 3.1 million — meaning nearly one in every 100 people has been confirmed as infected — and the number of deaths is more than 134,000, according to a tally from NBC News.
Almost 70,000 coronavirus tests were conducted in New York on Friday, Gov. Andrew Cuomo's office reported. 730 tests returned positive results - just over 1 percent.
But Gov. Andrew Cuomo is predicting a new increase in cases amid outbreaks in other states. The governor acknowledged the limitations in enforcing quarantine rules for travelers returning from states with rising rates of transmission.
“The only question is how far up our rate goes,” Cuomo said in an interview with WAMC radio on Friday. “You can’t have it all across the country and not come back.”
Hospitalizations dropped to 799 Friday - the first time that total has dipped below 800 since March 16, Cuomo said. Six more people died from the virus, bringing the state's death toll to 24,974.
"Throughout this pandemic, we've made progress by recognizing that state and local governments can't fight the virus on their own - the efforts of everyday New Yorkers to socially distance, wear masks and wash their hands are central to our ability to slow the spread and save lives," Cuomo said in a press release.
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State health officials announced a major change in policy Friday by allowing visitations at nursing homes for the first time in months. The announcement came as the state's number of coronavirus cases passed 400,000.
Visits can resume only at facilities that have been without COVID-19 for at least 28 days, State Health Commissioner Dr. Howard Zucker announced. Additionally, residents will only be allowed two visitors at a time, who must be temperature checked and follow face covering and social distancing practices.
New Jersey is reporting another 49 deaths associated with COVID-19 in the state, pushing the number of deaths associated with the virus to 13,578.
Gov. Phil Murphy said Saturday that more than 430 new positive cases had been reported, pushing the cumulative total to almost 175,000.
New Jersey lawmakers are to take up next week a plan to New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy and the state’s Democrat-controlled Legislature have agreed on a measure that would allow the state to borrow up to roughly $10 billion to address the financial crisis caused by the pandemic. Republican lawmakers have vowed to sue, arguing that such a borrowing plan would lead to statewide property tax hikes, a charge Murphy has dismissed.
