Governor Andrew Cuomo says for a third day, there are signs the number of new COVID-19 infections in New York may be hitting a plateau. At the same time, the governor says this possible good sign means we should redouble our efforts around social distancing and trying to choke off new infections.
The governor said he’s extending “New York on Pause” until April 29th.
Cuomo says there were more than 8,600 new cases over the past 24 hours. 16,000 people are hospitalized statewide and 13,000 have recovered and been discharged. More than 4,700 people have died…but the daily death rate has held flat for two days.
Against that possible good news, the governor says you have to set the fact that New York City-area hospitals are running at Red Line…as the governor says, with the accelerator to the floor and the engine running as fast as it can. He says there are no more ventilators available for critical care patients beyond the numbers now in use.
Cuomo says he’s doubling the fine for social distancing violations from $500 to $1,000. He says “we don’t want the money, we want the social distancing.” Cuomo says violations are increasing as the weather gets better, and he called on local governments around the state to crack down.