Coronavirus death toll in New York state rises above 10,000 as governor says ‘worst is over’

Over 10,000 people have died with the coronavirus in New York, Governor Andrew Cuomo has revealed, calling for more testing and stringent precautions as the state mulls reopening with hospital admissions down.

“I believe the worst is over if we continue to be smart, and I believe we can now start on the path to normalcy,” Cuomo said in his daily coronavirus briefing on Monday, while urging caution in the reopening process. New York recorded 671 more deaths on Sunday, bringing the state’s total death toll to 10,056.

Cuomo unveiled a tentative plan for moving out of lockdown that calls for easing isolation, opening businesses gradually, and ramping up testing to avoid a “second wave” of infections. Noting that “projection models were all wrong,” the governor called for billions in federal fiscal assistance to help restart New York’s economy.

Cuomo unveiled a tentative plan for moving out of lockdown that calls for easing isolation, opening businesses gradually, and ramping up testing to avoid a “second wave” of infections. Noting that “projection models were all wrong,” the governor called for billions in federal fiscal assistance to help restart New York’s economy.

The governors of New York, Connecticut, New Jersey, Delaware, Rhode Island, and Pennsylvania will announce a more detailed reopening plan this afternoon, Cuomo said.

New York has been by far the hardest-hit state by the coronavirus pandemic, with New York City currently the epicenter of the outbreak with 103,208 confirmed cases. However, the number of hospital admissions has fallen over the weekend, as has the number of admissions to intensive-care units.

President Donald Trump weighed in on Twitter, denying it was “the Governors decision to open up the states” and countering that “the Administration and I are working closely with the Governors.” The president seemed to agree with Cuomo on the need for an update, however, teasing that “a decision by me, in conjunction with the Governors and input from others, will be made shortly!”

Like this story? Share it with a friend!