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On Long Island, the positive infection rate has dropped below 5 percent to 4.58 percent, the lowest its been in weeks, though it is still the highest in New York, ahead of the mid-Hudson Valley (4.47 percent) and New York City (4.39 percent).
Statewide, the positivity rate has dipped to 3.71 percent, the lowest since Nov. 28.
"The numbers continue to trend in a good direction because New Yorkers are taking this virus seriously and doing the right things to protect themselves and their families. New Yorkers should be commended for that," New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo said.
"We are working 24/7 to get vaccines into arms as quickly as possible, and while we have the operational capacity to do more, lack of supply remains the single limiting factor," he added. "So while we do the work of getting every eligible person the vaccine as quickly as humanly possible, we need to continue to be smart: wear masks, socially distance, avoid gatherings, and stay New York Tough."
The New York State Department of Health was reporting 579 new COVID-19 cases in Nassau, bringing the total to 140,686, while the 526 new infections in Suffolk brought the total to 155,149.
As of Tuesday, Feb. 16, there were 1,110 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 669 of Long Island's 865 ICU beds were occupied by COVID-19 patients, leaving just 21 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.
Nine new COVID-19 fatalities were reported in Suffolk, as the total rose to 2,977, according to the state, and there were six in Nassau, as the death toll climbed to 2,830 since the pandemic began.
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. 16:
- 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: 43,014;
- Islip: 38,430;
- Babylon: 21,473;
- Huntington: 17,232;
- Smithtown: 10,790;
- Southampton: 4,581;
- Riverhead: 2,867;
- East Hampton: 1,368;
- Southold: 1,368;
- Shelter Island: 42.
There were 136,392 COVID-19 tests administered in New York on Feb. 15, according to Cuomo, resulting in 6,753 new cases for a 4.95 percent positive infection rate.
The seven-day average positivity rate in New York has dropped to 3.71 percent, the lowest since Nov. 28, representing more than 35 days of consecutive decline in the number.
Three COVID-19 patients were discharged from New York hospitals, as the total being treated dropped to 6,620 still being treated statewide, down by more than 700 a week ago. There are 1,271 patients in ICU, and 878 are currently intubated.
There were 107 new COVID-19-related deaths reported in the past 24 hours.
Statewide, a total of 1,542,887 positive COVID-19 cases have been confirmed out of 35.35 million tests that have been administered. There have been a total of 37,328 virus-related deaths since the beginning of the pandemic.
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