BUFFALO, N.Y. — After 2 On Your Side inquired about COVID-19 hospitalization numbers for the Western New York region, New York State has finally released the information on Tuesday morning.
One of the benchmarks regions must meet to begin reopening is a 14-day decline in COVID-19 hospitalizations. The WNY region, which includes Erie and Niagara County, still has to meet the 14-day decline in hospitalizations and a 14-day decline in hospitalized deaths.
2 On Your Side has repeatedly asked state and county health officials for the hospitalization numbers, to see where our region stands. On Monday, 2 On Your Side's Dave McKinley asked Governor Andrew Cuomo if the state will release hospitalization numbers by region on a consistent basis, Cuomo said that was a good question. Officials said the regional hospitalization numbers will be on the state's website beginning Monday. Information on daily hospitalizations was not released on Monday.
Melissa DeRosa, Governor Cuomo's secretary, posted the information on Twitter Tuesday morning following a request from 2 On Your Side's Michael Wooten for specific data related to daily hospitalizations.
Through May 11, WNY is on an overall decline but had a slight uptick in hospitalizations the past few days.
The WNY region meets five of the seven required reopening benchmarks put in place by Cuomo.
"Some regions in the state, it appears will be opening on May 15, Friday," Erie County Executive Mark Poloncarz said on Monday. "I don't know if we're gonna get there yet it seems a little tight but we may. No matter what I think we would open by June 1. There was a question brought up can we open between May 15 and June 1? The answer is yes."
Buffalo Mayor Byron Brown told 2 On Your Side he does not believe Western New York will be able to meet all the metrics by Friday.
"I think it's gonna be after the May 15 PAUSE order deadline from everything that I am seeing and hearing," Brown said. "Which is why it's important for the members of our community to continue to comply with all the guidance. If we can comply with the guidance I think that we will be able to put together all of the seven metrics and be able to reopen in the phases that the Governor has laid out."