New York records highest number of COVID patients since May
The number of New Yorkers hospitalized with COVID has climbed above 9,000 for the first time since early May.
As of Monday, 9,236 people were being treated for the deadly virus, up 368 from a day earlier. Of those hospitalized, 1,614 patients were in intensive care units and 1,049 on ventilators, Gov. Cuomo’s office said Tuesday.
The last time there were more than 9,000 COVID-19 hospitalizations in the Empire State was on May 5, when 9,179 New Yorkers were being treated for coronavirus. Another 167 people died of the virus on Monday, bringing the statewide total to 33,224.
Hospitalizations and infections continue to rise across the country as the U.S. reached the grim milestone of 400,000 COVID-related deaths since the pandemic began.
The governor, despite repeating warnings about new COVID mutations, expressed optimism that president-elect Biden will do more to speed up vaccine distribution and take other steps to stem the spread upon taking office on Wednesday.
“On the eve of a new federal administration, New York is encouraged by the accelerated progress we are confident we will make in the coming months on the COVID front,” Cuomo said in a statement. “We are seeing new strains of the virus from the UK, South Africa and Brazil that could spark a second wave.
“New York has used our experience from the spring to prepare our hospitals and our residents as we continue to fight this invisible enemy,” he added.
The governor separately announced that the state has administered 79% of the first COVID vaccine dosages received from the federal government as Mayor de Blasio warned that the city could run out of its current stockpile by the end of the week.
Statewide 835,875 people have received their first shot while 83,995 have gotten the two required doses.