#New York State, NYC COVID-19 hospitalizations hit record low

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An ambulance parked in front of the Cobble Hill Health Center in Brooklyn.
Gregory P. Mango

New York state and city have hit record lows for coronavirus hospitalizations based on the latest available figures.

There were 637 people hospitalized with the contagion statewide Saturday, the lowest daily figure since March 18, Gov. Andrew Cuomo said Sunday.

“That’s a new low for us since March 18, so really great news,” the governor told reporters in a conference call.

The city recorded four hospitalizations Friday, the latest data available — tying its previous low on March 1.

The state also reported three confirmed deaths Saturday, while the city had seven, confirmed and suspected combined, Friday.

“What’s the but? The but is the constant caution of this virus,” Cuomo said Sunday. “Don’t get cocky, don’t get arrogant. There are still threats out there. You still have the national threat, and you have the compliance challenge.”

He crowed that the state also is holding steady with a 1 percent positive-test rate.

“New York did 53,568 tests [Saturday]. Five hundred and third six positive. That is 1 percent, on the head, positive,” the governor said.

He said that’s a key figure.

“I said from Day One, we’re going to calibrate the reopening. What did we calibrate it to? To the rate of transmission,” Cuomo said.

“What is the rate of transmission that you want to stay at? One [percent]. You don’t want to do over 1. … We are at that number. That’s the red line. We’re at the red line. So we are re-opening as fast as we can, and we are aggressive at reopening because we’re at the red line.

He said if things reopen too quickly, “that’s when the engine blows.”