On Day 100 of Covid-19 in state, Cuomo praises New Yorkers for efforts to slow spread
Photo courtesy of Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s Office: Niagara Falls was lit in blue and gold on Sunday night in honor of New Yorkers’ work to flatten the curve of the Covid-19 virus.
‘We’re not out of the woods, but we are on the other side, certainly.’ – Gov. Andrew Cuomo
It was 100 days ago when New York State had its first confirmed case of Covid-19. Since then, 378,097 have tested positive in the state, including 243 in Orleans County.
The number of people testing positive each day in the state has dropped significantly. It was more than 10,000 a day about two months ago.
On Sunday, it was 702, and that’s with a big increase in testing. On Sunday, 58,054 people were tested and only 1.2 percent were positive. On Saturday, 781 or 1.3 percent of the 60,435 tested were positive for Covid-19.
Gov. Andrew Cuomo said the dramatic drop in new cases is a tribute to New York residents for adhering to social distancing, wearing masks and taking precautions to slow the spread of coronavirus.
“I just so proud of how New Yorkers have responded,” he said today in New York City, which is reopening in phase 1. “New Yorkers heard the message and they did what they had to do.”
The daily deaths in the state from Covid-19 have fallen from nearly 800 at the peak to 35 on Friday.
The governor said he feared in mid-March the hospital systems would be overrun with people infected with Covid-19. Many of the hospitals in New York City and Erie County were hit with a surge in cases, of people very sick with Covid-19.
But the restrictions on social gatherings and the closings of schools and businesses helped to slow the spread of the virus.
“Nobody knew if you could control the spread the of the virus,” Cuomo said today. “They all said it will depend on what people do, if they take it seriously.
The governor said New Yorkers need to continue to take the virus seriously, and not be arrogant as businesses reopen and some of the restrictions are lifted.
“We’re not out of the woods, but we are on the other side, certainly,” Cuomo said. “I want to thank the people for what they did. New Yorkers always rise to the occasion.”
The governor thanked all of the frontline workers who continued to show up for work during the Covid-19 pandemic, when there was so much uncertainty about the virus. He praised police officers, firefighters, healthcare workers, grocery store employees, truck drivers and other essential workers.
“I’m so proud to be governor of New York and I’m so proud to be a New Yorker,” he said. “Our mojo is back. Our energy is back.”
