NYS COVID-19 hospitalizations down to 4,083, positivity rate up to 2.99 pct: governor

NEW YORK, April 11 (Xinhua) -- COVID-19 hospitalizations in New York state dropped to 4,083 on Saturday, compared with 4,241 one day earlier, tweeted Governor Andrew Cuomo on Sunday.

Meanwhile, the single-day COVID-19 test positivity rate went up to 2.99 percent on Saturday from 2.79 percent on Friday, he said, adding that there were 53 COVID-19 deaths in the state on Saturday, compared with 57 one day earlier.

"New York is moving forward fighting the COVID-19 pandemic as we expand eligibility for the vaccine and open pop-up sites to serve the communities hardest hit by the virus across the state. The pandemic isn't over, and New Yorkers need to continue practicing safe behaviors and following the public health guidance as we work toward a brighter future," the governor was quoted as saying in an official release.

"We know that washing hands, wearing masks and staying socially distanced make all the difference in our ability to slow the spread, and residents should keep those behaviors front and center. I know this has been a long year and that COVID fatigue has set in, but with patience and commitment we can make progress and defeat this beast once and for all," he added.

In another tweet on Sunday, Cuomo said, "37.4% of New Yorkers have received at least one vaccine dose and 24.4% have completed their vaccine series. 189,820 total doses were administered over the past 24 hours. 11,858,991 total doses administered to date."

As of Sunday afternoon, total COVID-19 deaths in New York state surpassed the level of 51,000 to reach 51,056, the second worst in the country following the state of California with a death toll of 60,384, according to the Center for Systems Science and Engineering at Johns Hopkins University.