Health officials on Monday reported 73 residents died in a single day, Gov. Andrew Cuomo told reporters on Tuesday.
“In this absurd new reality, that is good news,” Cuomo said. “Any other time and place, when we lose 73 New Yorkers, it’s tragic. It’s tragic now, but relative to where we’ve been, we’re on the other side of the curve.”
The number of daily new cases, 200, and new hospitalizations have decreased as well, Cuomo said.
Several parts of the state have reopened in the past week, with the exception of New York City, where “the numbers have been worse.”
The Mid-Hudson region reopened on Tuesday and Long Island will follow on Wednesday.
“We want the economy to come roaring back … that is not going to happen just by wishing it be so. We have to be part of that, we have to take affirmative action to be part of that and today is page one of that chapter” Cuomo said.
Each region will have a control group responsible for watching the number of cases, Cuomo said, but state residents can help by wearing face coverings, continue following social distancing measures and by washing their hands.
“Wearing the mask has got to be something you do every day. When you get up, when you walk out of the house, you put the mask on,” he said.
