New York reports another new low in COVID-19 infections

JOHNSON CITY, N.Y. — New York State on Tuesday reported 1,430 new coronavirus infections in the last day, a 0.4 percent increase in the state’s total, marking the lowest percentage daily increase in virus cases since COVID-19 hit the state 10 weeks ago.

It’s also the lowest total daily increase in infections in New York since March 18.

Appearing at the Binghamton University School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences in Johnson City, Gov. Andrew Cuomo on Tuesday also reported the state had 195 new COVID-19 deaths in the last day. That is up from 161 a day earlier, but an improvement from 207, 226, 216, and 231 daily deaths in the prior four days, respectively.

Today’s data is the latest sign that the worst of the pandemic has passed in the state, as it gets ready to reopen parts of several upstate regions’ economies starting this Friday.

“…because we have abated the worst by what we’ve done … now we can intelligently turn towards reopening,” Cuomo said at his Monday COVID-19 briefing in suburban Rochester.

The state is up to more than 338,000 total COVID-19 infections and more than 21,800 deaths. Nearly 95 percent of the virus cases are in the downstate area — New York City plus the seven counties surrounding it (Nassau, Suffolk, Westchester, Rockland, Putnam, Dutchess, and Orange).