New York conducts over 200,000 coronavirus tests in one day - highest ever
Health care workers test people for the coronavirus at a drive-thru site at Oakview Mall in Omaha, Neb. on Tuesday, Nov. 24, 2020. (Calla Kessler © 2020 The New York Times Company)
The US state of New York conducted 242,927 COVID-19 tests in one day - marking a record high in the state. In addition to the number of tests, the number of hospitalisations also increased in the state to 5,369.
An official statement claimed that out of the 242,927 tests undertaken in the state - 11,129 were positive. This implies that 4.58 per cent of the total patients who tested for the virus tested positive, which is slightly down from 4.98 per cent a day earlier.
Governor Cuomo claimed that the cases continue to rise as holiday season in the US continues in full swing.
Also read:First COVID-19 shots in US to be administered as early as Monday
"Covid cases are continuing to climb nationwide and with the holiday season in full swing. It could get worse before it gets better," Governor Andrew Cuomo said.
He also called on the federal government to ensure that resources are provided to local governments.
"The federal government must do its job and provide resources to state and local governments to equitably administer the vaccine and provide badly needed support for businesses and the unemployed," he said.
Additionally, the governor said that the state is hell-bent on ensuring that the increased number of cases do not overwhelm hospitals in the state. To counter this, hospitals in New York are putting redundancies in place, as reported by Xinhua.
Cuomo also stressed the importance of following precautions in place to fight the virus, which has killed 295,000 people in the US so far.
"Ultimately, it`s up to each of us to slow the spread of this virus until there is widespread access to a vaccine: wear a mask, socially distance, wash your hands and stay vigilant," he added.
The state governor on Saturday tweeted that hospitalisations in the state on Friday were 5,359, up from 5,321 on Thursday.
Also read:How the vaccine rollout will compare in Britain, Canada and the US
He warned that the number of hospitalisations in the state could touch 6,000 in the coming weeks as the number of cases rise, showing a upward trend.
New York state still continues to remain the hardest hit in the US. On Saturday evening, Johns Hopkins University's "Center for Systems Science and Engineering" reported 35,441 deaths in the state.