Gov. Andrew Cuomo recognized several New Yorkers killed by the coronavirus at a press briefing Wednesday (Mike Groll/Office of Governor Andrew M. Cuomo)
April 8, 2020 By Allie Griffin
The state’s shutdown that began last month to contain the spread of the coronavirus is working, Governor Andrew Cuomo said today — but still, more and more New Yorkers are dying each day.
The dramatic measures that have brought the state to a near halt are “flattening the curve so far,” Cuomo said at his daily briefing in Albany.
Hospitalizations of coronavirus patients are down and some hospitals are actually releasing more patients than they’re admitting, he said.
“If the hospitalization rate keeps decreasing the way it is now, then the system should stabilize over these next couple of weeks,” Cuomo said.
He warned that New Yorkers must continue to social distance and stay home to continue the progress made thus far.
“If we stop what we’re doing, you will see that curve change,” he said.
The flattening of the curve and drop in hospitalizations “is all good news,” the governor added.
However, he then pointed to the unfortunate reality that the number of coronavirus patients dying across the state has continued to spike.
“The bad news isn’t just bad, the bad news is actually terrible,” Cuomo said. “Highest single day death toll yet.”
Yesterday, 779 people died in New York — beating Monday’s record of the most deaths in a single day.
(Governor’s Office)
Cuomo warned that more and more people will die each day.
“The number of deaths will continue to rise as those hospitalized for a longer period of time pass away,” he said.
While new hospitalizations drop, people who have been in the hospital relying on ventilators for several days or weeks are now dying — making the death rate essentially a “lagging indicator” of where the state is on the coronavirus curve, Cuomo said.
“I understand the science of it, I understand the facts and the logic of it, but it is still incredibly difficult to deal with,” the governor said. “Every number is a face and that’s been painfully obvious to me everyday.”
The virus has now killed more than double the number of the New Yorkers killed on 9/11, Cuomo said. Statewide, it has taken the lives of 6,268 people.
Cuomo is directing all flags to be flown at half mast to honor the New Yorkers killed by the virus.
