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Gov. Kathy Hochul declared Friday that New York was “turning the corner” in the battle against COVID-19 — with hospitalizations now starting to decline amid the Omicron-fueled surge.
The number of COVID-19 hospitalizations in the Empire State was at 12,207 on Thursday after dropping for two consecutive days, the latest state data shows.
The recent spike in cases is also now trending downward with 49,027 new infections recorded Thursday — down from the record high of more than 90,000 just one week ago.
The 16.3 percent positivity rate has steadily dropped from the peak 23.17 percent on Jan. 3.
Despite hailing the “long awaited, much anticipated decline” in hospitalizations and infections across New York state, Gov. Hochul warned “this is no time to spike the football.”
Gov. Kathy Hochul says New York is “turning the corner” as hospitalizations decline amid the Omicron surge. Mike Groll/Gov Kathy Hochul“We still need to remain vigilant,” she said during a press briefing in Albany.
“So let’s continue to use the tools we know will help stop the spread and keep ourselves safe: get the vaccine, get the booster, wear a mask, and stay home if you’re feeling sick.”
She added: “There will come a time when it is all over. We are not there yet. But boy, it is on the horizon, and we’ve waited a long time for that.”
There were 195 deaths recorded Thursday, which was up slightly from the 177 recorded a day earlier.
More than 62,800 New Yorkers have died of COVID throughout the pandemic, state data shows.
There were 49,027 new cases and 12,207 COVID hospitalizations recorded Thursday, both down from last week. Twitter/@GovKathyHochul
COVID positivity rates are heading down, but Hochul said NYers should still “remain vigilant.” Twitter/@GovKathyHochulGov. Hochul said deaths, which are a lagging indicator, would likely soon follow the downward trend seen in hospitalizations and cases.
Given the declining data, Hochul said she was eager to eliminate indoor mask mandates when the Omicron variant no longer poses a threat.
She called the mask mandate as a “short term” necessity, adding that she wants to “make people feel liberated” as soon as possible.
While the situation in New York appears to be looking up, California is still struggling with a surge of cases inundating hospitals.
The Golden State was averaging 114,000 new cases a day for the seven-day period ending Wednesday. Los Angeles alone has averaged a record about 41,000 new cases a day over the last seven days.
Los Angeles County Public Health on Friday said that 4,257 people with COVID-19 are hospitalized, and 25 percent of them are in intensive care — the highest level since almost a year ago. More than 80 percent of ICU beds in LA County are occupied.
Additional reporting by Marjorie Hernandez
