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Homeland Security

New York State

Governor Cuomo Announces Single-Day COVID-19 Positivity Rate Drops Below 3 Percent for First Time Since November 23

February 21, 2021

Governor Andrew M. Cuomo today updated New Yorkers on the state's progress during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. The statewide positivity rate, now at 2.99 percent, dropped below 3 percent for the first time since November 23.

The Governor also said the first case of the South African variant has been identified in a resident of New York State. The sequencing, involving a Nassau County resident, was conducted at Opentrons Labworks Inc's Pandemic Response Lab, a New York City based commercial lab, and verified at the Wadsworth Center in Albany. Last week, a Connecticut resident who had been hospitalized in New York City was found to have the South African variant.  

"We continue to see a reduction in positivity and hospitalizations throughout the state, which is good news, and this progress is allowing us to reopen the valve on our economy even further," Governor Cuomo said. "But with the discovery of a case of the South African variant in the state, it's more important than ever for New Yorkers to stay vigilant, wear masks, wash hands and stay socially distanced. We are in a race right now — between our ability to vaccinate and these variants which are actively trying to proliferate — and we will only win that race if we stay smart and disciplined."

Today's data is summarized briefly below:

  • Test Results Reported - 221,157
  • Total Positive - 6,610
  • Percent Positive - 2.99%
  • 7-Day Average Percent Positive - 3.44%
  • Patient Hospitalization - 5,764 (-213)
  • Net Change Patient Hospitalization Past Week - -829
  • Patients Newly Admitted - 602
  • Hospital Counties - 55
  • Number ICU - 1,162 (+0)
  • Number ICU with Intubation - 794 (-7)
  • Total Discharges - 142,307 (+715)
  • Deaths - 75
  • Total Deaths - 37,851

The regional hospital bed capacity and occupancy numbers, including the number of hospitalizations as a percent of the region's population, is as follows:

Region COVID Patients Currently in Hospital in Region COVID Patients as Percent of Region Population Percent of Hospital Beds Available Within 7 Days Under Surge Plan
Capital Region 168 0.02% 35%
Central New York 95 0.01% 32%
Finger Lakes 213 0.02% 40%
Long Island 983 0.03% 34%
Mid-Hudson 606 0.03% 43%
Mohawk Valley 109 0.02% 36%
New York City 3,130 0.04% 31%
North Country 74 0.02% 57%
Southern Tier 134 0.02% 47%
Western New York 252 0.02% 38%
Statewide 5,764 0.03% 35%

The regional ICU bed capacity and occupancy numbers are as follows:

Region Total ICU Beds in Region Total Occupied ICU Beds in Region Percent of ICU Beds Available in Region (7-day Avg)
Capital Region 236 174  27%
Central New York 262 170  32%
Finger Lakes 397 246  37%
Long Island 857 662  22%
Mid-Hudson 678 394  40%
Mohawk Valley 127 93  29%
New York City 2,609 2,032  21%
North Country 60 29  45%
Southern Tier 126 74  44%
Western New York 545 344  38%
Statewide 5,897 4,218  28%

Each region's 7-day average percentage of positive test results reported over the last three days is as follows:

REGION THURSDAY FRIDAY SATURDAY
Capital Region 2.09% 2.00% 1.90%
Central New York 1.41% 1.33% 1.24%
Finger Lakes 2.33% 2.37% 2.32%
Long Island 4.36% 4.31% 4.27%
Mid-Hudson 4.43% 4.14% 4.18%
Mohawk Valley 2.11% 2.11% 2.02%
New York City 4.40% 4.40% 4.41%
North Country 3.91% 3.95% 3.82%
Southern Tier 0.78% 0.76% 0.76%
Western New York 3.01% 2.87% 2.28%
Statewide 3.60% 3.53% 3.44%

Each New York City borough's 7-day average percentage of positive test results reported over the last three days is as follows:

BOROUGH THURSDAY FRIDAY SATURDAY
Bronx 6.20% 6.00% 5.67%
Brooklyn 4.57% 4.56% 4.48%
Manhattan 3.01% 2.98% 2.91%
Queens 4.96% 4.95% 4.88%
Staten Island 4.57% 4.47% 4.23%

Of the 1,578,785 total individuals who tested positive for the virus, the geographic breakdown is as follows:

County Total Positive New Positive
Albany 20,392 56
Allegany 2,839 7
Broome 14,228 83
Cattaraugus 4,281 12
Cayuga 5,289 47
Chautauqua 7,185 33
Chemung 6,362 12
Chenango 2,376 17
Clinton 3,390 21
Columbia 3,318 6
Cortland 3,078 4
Delaware 1,448 10
Dutchess 21,565 113
Erie 63,468 220
Essex 1,298 7
Franklin 1,954 19
Fulton 3,202 32
Genesee 4,293 21
Greene 2,582 9
Hamilton 276 0
Herkimer 4,505 6
Jefferson 4,622 40
Lewis 2,005 9
Livingston 3,452 18
Madison 3,765 10
Monroe 51,564 141
Montgomery 3,095 16
Nassau 143,615 546
Niagara 14,984 27
NYC 684,185 3,384
Oneida 19,393 42
Onondaga 31,909 61
Ontario 5,646 20
Orange 35,648 152
Orleans 2,398 4
Oswego 5,894 19
Otsego 2,247 9
Putnam 8,116 31
Rensselaer 8,788 28
Rockland 37,579 101
Saratoga 11,604 44
Schenectady 10,624 31
Schoharie 1,168 8
Schuyler 850 3
Seneca 1,544 12
St. Lawrence 5,233 39
Steuben 5,426 11
Suffolk 158,029 513
Sullivan 4,616 22
Tioga 2,752 12
Tompkins 3,389 13
Ulster 9,754 56
Warren 2,769 6
Washington 2,248 16
Wayne 4,382 12
Westchester 104,400 410
Wyoming 2,756 8
Yates 1,007 1

Yesterday, 75 New Yorkers died due to COVID-19 in New York State, bringing the total to 37,851. A geographic breakdown is as follows, by county of residence:

Deaths by County of Residence
County New Deaths
Albany 1
Bronx 5
Broome 1
Delaware 1
Dutchess 1
Erie 1
Kings 13
Lewis 1
Manhattan 6
Monroe 3
Nassau 4
Niagara 1
Oneida 1
Onondaga 1
Orange 2
Queens 14
Rensselaer 1
Rockland 2
Saratoga 2
Schenectady 1
Suffolk 9
Sullivan 1
Westchester 3



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