The number of confirmed COVID-19 cases in New York state jumped by 1,763 overnight, bringing the total tally statewide to 4,152.
About a quarter of those cases are in New York City, Gov. Andrew Cuomo said Thursday morning. But, he cautioned, the startling jump is really a reflection of the state’s ramped up rate of testing.
Cuomo said that they have tested 22,000 people so far — and just 8,000 of those tests were carried out overnight. And still, he said, the number of confirmed cases is just a sliver of how widespread coronavirus actually is.
New York remains the epicenter of the coronavirus in the U.S., accounting for the highest number of cases in the country. Cuomo said that the total number of confirmed cases nationwide was 10,248 as of Thursday morning. Nearly 100 people have died.
To counter some of those financial anxieties, Cuomo also announced 90-day relief on mortgage payments based on financial hardship. “That will be a real life economic benefit,’” he said. “It will also be a stress reliever for many families.”
Cuomo continued to stress that his biggest concern was that the COVID-19 caseload requiring hospitalization could overwhelm the medical system.
