Albany, N.Y. — New cases of Covid-19 continue to surge in New York with the state confirming over 2,500 positive tests Wednesday.
Hospitalizations are also rising, although not as fast as cases. They increased 20 yesterday to 611. It was the first time hospitalizations rose above 600 since mid-June.
Hospitalizations are up 75% since the start of July.
New Covid cases totaled 2,567 Wednesday. That’s the highest single-day case total since May.
Cases are up more than fivefold since July 1, when the state confirmed 506 new cases.
So far, deaths have remained low. Just two peopled in New York died Wednesday due to Covid, which brings the statewide death toll to 43,070.
The percentage of people testing positive for Covid is also surging, although the state is conducting fewer tests than it has in the past. The positive test percentage was 2.49% yesterday.
The statewide seven-day average positive test rate was 2.17% Wednesday. It was as low as 0.3% at points in June.
The rate of positive tests is rising in all regions. The seven-day average is over 3% in the Capital Region and over 2% in Central New York, the Finger Lakes, New York City, Long Island and Western New York.
All regions of the state saw the positive test percentage drop below 1% in June.
Gov. Andrew Cuomo has said the latest spike in numbers is alarming. He said Wednesday that the more contagious delta variant of the coronavirus is to blame for the increase.
The variant accounts for over 72% of recent positive Covid tests in New York, according to Cuomo’s office.
Cuomo said yesterday he’ll mandate Covid vaccines for all state workers by Labor Day. Workers who don’t get vaccinated will be required to get tested for Covid weekly.
He previously announced a new push to get more vaccines to areas with low rates of shots and high rates of Covid spread.
The state is still reviewing the latest federal guidance on masks and hasn’t announced any new statewide requirements. The new guidance recommends masks indoors for even vaccinated people in some areas.
Cuomo said earlier this week that new Covid rules are now the responsibility of local governments, not the state.
So far, 56.8% of New Yorkers are fully vaccinated against Covid and 62.7% have received at least one dose of a vaccine, according to federal data.
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