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Long Island Has Highest Covid-19 Positivity Rate in New York

covid-19 positivity
Gov. Andrew Cuomo said Long Island’s Covid-19 positivity rate is “problematic” at his press briefing Monday.

Long Island has the highest Covid-19 positivity rate out of any other region in the state, Gov. Andrew Cuomo said during his press briefing Monday.

Out of all residents tested, 7.84 percent have tested positive for the virus in a seven-day average. The second-highest rate is Mohawk Valley at 7.78 percent. In comparison, New York City’s positivity rate is 5.73 percent.

“Long Island has taken a relative jump, which is concerning, and we’re watching that, because Long Island jumped up, not in the right direction,” Cuomo said. “You see the variation across the state. You go from the Southern Tier, which, by the way, had a big spike at one time, and reversed that. It shows you what a community can do when it comes together and recognizes this threat. Long Island, 7.8. That’s problematic, and that’s new, by the way.”

A total of 23 people died of Covid-19 on Long Island on Sunday, according to the state’s numbers, and about 1,649 Covid-19 patients are hospitalized in Long Island’s medical facilities.

On Monday, Nassau County Executive Laura Curran said the county’s daily positivity rate was 6.2 percent, with the seven-day average at 7 percent, down from 8.6 percent 10 days ago.

“Covid-19 hospitalizations remain high,” she said in a statement, “which underscores the need to double down on mitigation measures like wearing a mask and social distancing.”

Suffolk County’s daily positivity rate was 8.5 percent on Monday, with an 8.6 percent seven-day average. 

Cuomo also expressed concerns about the UK strain, which is said to be more contagious and could drive cases up. There have been several confirmed cases of the UK Covid-19 strain on Long Island so far.

He also mentioned that other strains, such as the Brazilian and South African strains, are emerging, and urged the federal government to act.

“I still don’t understand how the CDC and the federal government can project or anticipate an action but do nothing,” he said. “If you know there’s a UK strain, if you know there’s a South African strain, if you know there’s a Brazilian strain why don’t you do something? Why don’t you stop those people from coming here?”

Related Story: Long Island Covid-19 Cases Double to 200,000 in 2 Months

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