N.Y. Cases Surge Above 3,000 as Upstate Drives Second Wave
New York Covid Cases Rise Even as Older Hot Spots Improve
(Bloomberg) -- Upstate New York is driving a new phase of the coronavirus pandemic, Governor Andrew Cuomo said, as cases surged above 3,000 for the first time since May.
“We are obviously in a different phase with Covid,” Cuomo said. “We’ve been talking about it for weeks, but we have to fully acknowledge it.”
The number of cases statewide is increasing, with 1.9% of tests coming up positive on Thursday. Hot spots have cropped up in western and central New York, as well as along the Pennsylvania border, he said.
Cuomo said residents in those areas haven’t been following social distancing and mask guidelines. State officials will consult local authorities over the weekend to create tailored responses, he said.
Hot spots downstate, particularly in Queens, Brooklyn, and in Orange and Rockland counties, are improving, he said. As a whole, New York is doing relatively well as cases hit records nationally, Cuomo said.
“In general, downstate New York is doing better,” Cuomo said on a Friday conference call with reporters.
To keep cases down during the holidays, the state will be increasing the National Guard presence at airports to ensure travelers have tested negative. Cuomo also asked New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio to increase police presence at the airports, he said.
State university system officials also are requiring students to test negative before they can go home for Thanksgiving, he said. They will finish the rest of the fall semester remotely.
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