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New York continues to recover from the post-holiday surge, as the statewide positivity rate dipped down to 3.61 percent as the state sees a drop in new cases and hospitalizations.
On Long Island, after weeks of having the highest infection rate, the region has dropped from 4.58 percent on Monday, Feb. 15 down to 4.39 percent on Wednesday, Feb. 17. It is just ahead of the Hudson Valley (4.40 percent) and behind New York City (4.28 percent).
"New Yorkers fought through the holiday surge of COVID-19 and came out on the other side, and now that the numbers are decreasing we're able to loosen the valve and increase economic activity," New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo said.
"We're in a footrace between ongoing new infections and our ability to vaccinate as many New Yorkers as possible, and although we have vaccine distribution sites at the ready throughout the state, we're limited by available supply."
As of Thursday, Feb. 18, there were 1,111 COVID-19 patients hospitalized on Long Island, representing 0.04 percent of the region's population, tied with New York City for the highest rate in the state. The state was also reporting 673 of Long Island's 865 ICU beds were occupied by COVID-19 patients, leaving 22 percent available in case of another surge of the virus.
If Long Island - or any of the state's nine other regions - finds itself in danger of hitting its 90 percent hospital capacity rate within three weeks, Cuomo has vowed to shut down the entire region.
The New York State Department of Health was reporting 514 new COVID-19 cases in Nassau, bringing the total to 141,738, while the 461 new infections in Suffolk brought the total to 156,200.
Twelve new COVID-19 fatalities were reported in Suffolk, as the total rose to 2,988, according to the state, and there were five in Nassau, as the death toll climbed to 2,841 since the pandemic began.
"New Yorkers have already had huge burdens to bear, and we're getting to the light at the end of the tunnel, but we need everyone to double down on the behaviors that make such a difference combatting this pandemic," Cuomo added. "Wash your hands, wear a mask, stay socially distanced, and be safe."
The latest breakdown of the communities with the most confirmed COVID-19 cases in Nassau, according to the most recent data provided by the county Department of Health on Feb. 18:
- Levittown: 3,719;
- Freeport: 3,002;
- Hicksville: 3,001;
- Hempstead: 2,998;
- East Meadow: 2,780;
- Valley Stream: 2,676;
- Oceanside: 2,272;
- Elmont: 2,269;
- Long Beach: 2,258;
- Franklin Square: 2,224;
- Glen Cove: 2,075;
- Uniondale: 1,946;
- Massapequa: 1,683;
- Rockville Centre: 1,642;
- Baldwin: 1,490;
- Woodmere: 1,474;
- West Hempstead: 1,423
- Plainview: 1,417;
- North Bellmore: 1,405;
- North Massapequa: 1,363;
- Wantagh: 1,359;
- Mineola: 1,319;
- Lynbrook: 1,319;
- Massapequa Park: 1,296;
- Merrick: 1,249;
- East Massapequa: 1,293;
- Seaford: 1,269.
The breakdown of cases reported in Suffolk County, according to the Department of Health:
- Brookhaven: 43,304;
- Islip: 38,677;
- Babylon: 21,597;
- Huntington: 17,372;
- Smithtown: 10,862;
- Southampton: 4,611;
- Riverhead: 2,894;
- East Hampton: 1,371;
- Southold: 1,368;
- Shelter Island: 42.
There were 215,731 COVID-19 tests administered in New York on Feb. 17, according to Cuomo, resulting in 6,434 new cases for a 3.15 percent positive infection rate.
One hundred and forty COVID-19 patients were discharged from New York hospitals, as the total being treated dropped to 6,434 still being treated statewide, down by more than 800 a week ago. There are 1,258 patients in ICU, and 863 are currently intubated.
There were 114 new COVID-19-related deaths reported in the past 24 hours.
Statewide, a total of 1,548,979 positive COVID-19 cases have been confirmed out of 35.5 million tests that have been administered. There have been a total of 37,440 virus-related deaths since the beginning of the pandemic.
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