New York Deaths Rise by Another Record to 3,565, Cuomo Says

(Bloomberg) --

New York State reported its highest daily number of coronavirus deaths on Saturday, adding 630 fatalities for a total of 3,565, Governor Andrew Cuomo said.

New York continues to scramble for resources before the state -- the epicenter for the Covid-19 outbreak in the U.S. -- hits its peak.

The governor said 1,000 ventilators would arrive from China on Saturday, and another 140 were donated by Oregon. He repeated his plea for qualified health-care volunteers.

“We’re not at the apex,” he told reporters in Albany. “Part of me would like to be in the apex and just let’s do it. But, there’s part of me that says, it’s good that we’re not at the apex because we’re not yet ready.”

Estimates vary, but Cuomo said that the peak may be hit in the next week.

The state now has a total of 113,704 positive cases. The number of new hospitalizations, which has fluctuated, dropped while patients in intensive care rose. People in intensive care are of the most concern, since they require ventilators and are most likely to die.

New York City has been the center of the outbreak, with a total of 63,306 cases. Another 6,147 were reported overnight. Total deaths in the city hit 2,624.

But Cuomo said that Long Island is an increasing concern, rising to 22% of hospitalizations from 17%. Nassau County, which borders New York City, reported 1,322 new cases overnight. Suffolk County reported 1,216.

“We’ve been saying, ‘Watch Long Island because it’s a fire spreading,’” he said “It’s been growing steadily.”

Cuomo has repeatedly stressed the importance of ventilators, as the state has haggled with the federal government and sought to purchase them in a more-expensive market.

The 1,000 ventilators from China, Cuomo said, “is a big deal and it’s going to make a significant difference for us.”

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With assistance from Bloomberg