COVID-19 hospitalizations increased statewide by 20 patients, the largest one-day increase since a month ago, on June 14, according to state data released Friday.
The number of patients increased from 340 to 360, the state reported. That is still well below 2020 levels. A year ago, New York had 813 COVID-19 patients hospitalized.
It’s part of a trend of rising COVID-19 indicators over the last few weeks, fueled by a new variant of the virus and a large number of people still unvaccinated, according to medical experts.
Daily new cases of COVID-19 dropped slightly on Long Island in the latest figures released Friday, but the levels remained more than triple what they were just a few weeks ago. The seven-day positivity level in testing continued to rise.
The number of new confirmed cases in Nassau County dropped from 91 to 87 in the last two days, but was well above the 17 cases registered on May 31, according to state statistics.
The number in Suffolk County dropped from 83 to 73 in the last two days, but was also above recent lows including 18 on June 24.
The positivity level in tests continued upward, going from 1.04% to 1.28% on Long Island over the last four days.
Medical experts say the rise in cases is being driven by a new, more contagious variant called the delta, and the substantial number of people who are still not vaccinated.
“Thanks to the hard work of New Yorkers, we have been able to begin returning to normal, however that does not mean that COVID isn’t still a threat,” Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo said Friday in a statement.
“To win this war once and for all, we must continue to capitalize on our most effective weapon — the vaccine. Those who continue to avoid it are not only putting their own well-being at risk, but they are threatening the health and safety of those around them as well,” Cuomo said.
Across the state, two people died Thursday of causes linked to COVID-19. None of the fatalities were on Long Island.
The statewide seven-day average for positivity in test results was above 1% for the second day in a row, registering 1.09%.
COVID-19 indicators have been inching up for more than two weeks on Long Island and throughout the state.
While infectious disease experts say they do not believe the numbers of new daily cases will get near the figures of the worst days of the pandemic, they are concerned with the recent uptick.
Many say they expect the virus to remain present in New York and throughout the country for years if not permanently since the region and the United States do not appear headed for “herd immunity” in which so many people are vaccinated the virus is effectively killed off.
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