New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo on Monday said the increase in the number of coronavirus-related deaths has been effectively flat for two days amid a “possible flattening” of the curve in the country’s hardest-hit state.
Mr. Cuomo reported 4,758 people have died from the coronavirus in his state, an increase of 599, or 14%, from the number he had reported on Sunday.
“While none of this is good news, the possible flattening of the curve is better than the increases that we have seen,” he said. “New York is still far and away the most impacted state.”
On Sunday, Mr. Cuomo had reported 594 new deaths — down from a previous increase of 630 deaths.
Among New York’s nearly 20 million residents, there are now 130,689 positive cases, about a 7% increase from what Mr. Cuomo had reported a day earlier. There have been more than 300,000 tests.
There are more than 338,900 coronavirus cases in the U.S. and more than 9,600 deaths in the country, according to a Johns Hopkins University tracker. It’s estimated that more than 17,700 people in the United States have recovered.
Mr. Cuomo also said the number of new hospitalizations, the change in daily intensive care unit (ICU) admissions and the change in daily intubations are all down in recent days.
Still, he cautioned against proclaiming victory too early and said the crisis is not close to over.
“This is an enemy that we have underestimated from day one,” he said.
Mr. Cuomo said he was extending state school closures and a requirement that nonessential employees work from home through April 29.
He said the maximum fine for noncompliance with social distancing rules would be increased from $500 to $1,000.
“Now is not the time to be playing Frisbee with your friends in the park — it’s just not,” the governor said. “Now is not the time to go to a funeral with 200 people.”
Mr. Cuomo also said he plans to ask President Trump to allow COVID-19 patients to be treated on the USNS Comfort, a hospital ship the federal government recently deployed to New York City.
Mr. Trump recently granted a similar request for the Javits Convention Center, which has been set up as a 2,500-bed makeshift hospital.
The Comfort is currently set up to take non-coronavirus patients, with the idea that the additional space will free up room in other hospitals for COVID-19 patients.
• David Sherfinski can be reached at dsherfinski@washingtontimes.com.
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