Governor Cuomo Updates New Yorkers on State's Progress During COVID-19 Pandemic - OCTOBER 19, 2020

 

Statewide Positivity Rate is 1.21 Percent

Positive Testing Rate in Hot Spot Areas is 3.31 Percent; New York State Positivity Without Red Zone Focus Areas Included is 1.13 Percent

14 COVID-19 Deaths in New York State Yesterday

Expanded Community Testing Continues This Week In Southern Tier, Western New York Counties Along PA Border  

 Governor Andrew M. Cuomo today updated New Yorkers on the state's progress during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

"New York has one of the lowest positivity rates in the nation, but cases are rising across the nation. When we put our infection rate in context, we're doing well - and we're doing well because we're aggressive when we see hot spots. Our micro-cluster approach for the fall targets outbreaks sooner, and with a targeted focus," Governor Cuomo said. "We all hope the winter will be the season of the vaccine, but administering the vaccine will be the largest operational challenge we've faced since this began, and we need the federal government to step up. In the meantime, we all need to work to maintain our progress by continuing to wear our masks, wash our hands, remain socially distant and above all, stay New York Tough."

The Governor updated New Yorkers on the State's response to COVID-19. In "Red Zone" focus areas included as part of the Governor's Cluster Action Initiative, the positivity rate for test results reported yesterday is 3.31 percent - up from 3.19 percent the day before.

Within the "Red Zone" focus areas, 3,016 test results were reported yesterday, yielding 100 positives or a 3.31 percent positivity rate. In the remainder of the state, not counting these "Red Zone" focus areas, 78,993 test results were reported, yielding 898 positives or a 1.13 percent positivity rate. The state's overall positivity rate is 1.21 percent with focus areas included. The "Red Zone" focus areas are home to 2.8 percent of the state population yet had 10 percent of all positive test results reported to the state yesterday.

Today's data is summarized briefly below:

• Patient Hospitalization - 934 (+21)
• Patients Newly Admitted - 98
• Hospital Counties - 41
• Number ICU - 198 (-2)
• Number ICU with Intubation - 106 (+4)
• Total Discharges - 78,442 (+80)
• Deaths - 14
• Total Deaths - 25,659