ALBANY, N.Y. — Gov. Andrew Cuomo released the latest data Sunday regarding New York State's progress during the COVID-19 pandemic.
According to the Governor's Office, on Saturday, April 17, the statewide COVID-19 positivity rate dropped to 2.35 percent, which is the lowest this number has been since November 7, 2020.
Meanwhile, the state's seven-day average percent positive rate was slightly higher at 2.92 percent. The Governor's Office says this is the first time since November 24 that the seven-day average positivity rate has been under 3 percent.
In terms of hospitalizations, 3,754 people were in New York hospitals Saturday with COVID-19. This is the lowest this number has been since November 29. Of those hospitalized, 849 were in the ICU, with 520 people requiring intubation. This is the lowest number of people in the ICU since December 4, and the lowest number of people intubated since December 7.
Thirty-five more New Yorkers died from the virus on Saturday, bringing the total number of COVID-19 deaths in the state to 41,485.
"New York is making tremendous progress in our goal to vaccinate every New Yorker while keeping the infection and hospitalization rates down, but variants of the virus remain a concern across the state," Governor Cuomo said.
"It's going to take everyone working together, as individuals and in communities, to protect each other and defeat this virus once and for all. Until we get to that point, we must stay vigilant and continue with the behaviors we know slow the spread - washing your hands, staying socially distanced and wearing a mask."
Here in the Western New York region, the percent positive rate dropped Saturday, but still remains the highest in the state. The percent positive rate dropped from 5.25 percent Friday to 4.97 percent on Saturday.
The number of COVID-19 hospitalizations also decreased Saturday in the Western New York region. The number of hospitalizations dropped to 346, which equates to .03 percent of the region's population.
At this time, 32 percent of hospital beds would be available within seven days under a surge plan.
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