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Covid-19: NY Positive-Test Rate Highest Since Mid-May, State Now At 'New Phase,' Cuomo Says

New York is now at a "new phase" during the nine-month COVID-19 pandemic with the state recording its highest positive-test rate since mid-May, Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced on Sunday, Nov. 29.

COVID-19

COVID-19

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Joe Lombardi
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The state's positivity rate on Saturday, Nov. 29 was 4.27 percent, up from 3.9 the previous day.

"If you look at New York relative only to New York, you see the numbers going up — not as fast as in other states, but the numbers are going up," Cuomo said. "It's nice that we're doing better in a national and global context, but it's irrelevant to one extent because we have to deal with the issues that we have here in New York relative to New York.

"I expect you're going to see the rate going up through the holiday season. This is a new phase for COVID — call it the winter phase or the holiday phase or the surge upon surge phase — and we are spending this weekend talking to health officials and local governments about the plan for that next phase. 

"We'll be speaking to that tomorrow and this week with more details. In the meantime, everyone needs to stay vigilant: wear your mask, wash your hands, maintain social distance, and above all stay New York Tough."

The positive testing rate in all focus areas under the state's Micro-Cluster strategy is 5.83 percent, and outside the focus zone areas is 3.75 percent. 

Within the focus areas, 39,323 test results were reported Saturday, yielding 2,294 positives. 

In the remainder of the state, not counting these focus areas, 117,997 test results were reported, yielding 4,429 positives. 

The positive testing rates for the last five days in the Hudson Valley are as follows:

  • Tuesday, Nov. 24: 4.2 percent
  • Wednesday, Nov. 25: 4.1 percent
  • Thursday, Nov. 26: 4.7 percent
  • Friday, Nov. 27: 4.8 percent
  • Saturday, Nov. 28: 4.9 percent

Here's a rundown of new cases in each of the Hudson Valley's seven counties:

  • Westchester, 464
  • Orange, 151
  • Rockland, 124
  • Dutchess, 75
  • Putnam, 58
  • Ulster, 49
  • Sullivan, 25

There were 55 COVID deaths statewide on Saturday, with four in the Hudson Valley (three in Dutchess County and one in Rockland), bringing the total to 26,690 during the pandemic.

Here's statewide data for Saturday:

  • Patient Hospitalization - 3,372 (+85)
  • Patients Newly Admitted - 487
  • Hospital Counties - 54
  • Number ICU - 667 (+13)
  • Number ICU with Intubation - 326 (-5)
  • Total Discharges - 85,287 (+349)
  • Deaths - 55

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