ALBANY, N.Y. — Gov. Andrew Cuomo said New York is seeing progress in the fight against the coronavirus pandemic as the curve of hospitalizations “is flattening” — as the state suffered its worst single-day number of deaths yet.
“It’s not a time to get complacent,” the governor said as he noted a three-day decrease in hospitalizations statewide. “We have to remain disciplined going forward.”
A somber Cuomo said despite the good news the state lost 779 people overnight.
“I understand the facts and logic of it, but it is still an incredibly difficult number to face,” Cuomo said. “Every number is a face.”
The governor, calling the virus a “predator” preying on the vulnerable, ordered all flags in the state to be flown at half-staff in honor of the victims.
Social distancing and stay-at-home orders instituted last month are paying off, according to the Democratic governor.
“We took dramatic actions in this state,” Cuomo said. “And it’s working. It’s flattening the curve, so far. If we stop what we are doing you will see that curve change.”
The state is also taking other steps to keep people safe including allowing all New Yorkers to vote by absentee ballot in the June 23 presidential primary and providing an additional $600 to people who are receiving unemployment insurance.
The state will also conduct more testing in minority communities and the research will be done on why infection rights are higher among black and Latino populations.
The president of the State University of New York at Albany, Havidan Rodriguez, will be head up a program to do more minority community testing using a mobile testing site.
Cuomo also kept an eye on the future and warned that things will have to be different going forward.
“I don’t think we return to normal,” he said. “I think if we are smart, we achieve a new normal.”
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