NYS COVID-19 hospitalizations down to 7,814, positivity rate 7.45 pct: governor

NEW YORK, Jan. 2 (Xinhua) -- Total COVID-19 hospitalizations stood at 7,814 on Friday in New York state, down from 7,886 on Thursday, tweeted Governor Andrew Cuomo on Saturday.

Cuomo once warned that a post-holiday hike of coronavirus hospitalizations was expected, because people would usually travel and gather during this time, which could fuel the spread of the virus.

Meanwhile, of the 202,446 COVID-19 tests reported on Friday in the state, 15,074 were positive, or 7.45 percent of the total, down from 7.52 percent one day earlier, said the governor.

"With 2020 now behind us, we can see brighter days ahead, but to get there quickly, it's going to take all New Yorkers staying smart and staying united," Cuomo was quoted as saying in an official release issued on Saturday.

"We have the vaccine, and that is good news, but it will be months before we've reached critical mass, making it as important as ever that we do not let COVID fatigue get the best of us. The state is working around the clock with the medical community to not only ensure vaccines are distributed as quickly and efficiently as possible, but to also continue growing bed capacity so hospitals do not become overwhelmed," he said.

"As daunting as it may seem after all this time, it's critical that the rest of us remain tough and keep up our efforts to slow the spread. We've already come so far and we will finally reach that light at the end of the tunnel if we all just do our part," added the governor.

As of Saturday afternoon, the Center for Systems Science and Engineering at Johns Hopkins University reported 38,180 coronavirus deaths in New York state, the worst in the country.