COVID-19 Patients Rise in New York; Cuomo Says Peak Weeks Away

The number of people hospitalized with COVID-19 in New York climbed to 3,800, with close to 900 in intensive care, with the peak of the outbreak weeks away, Gov. Andrew Cuomo said Wednesday.

New York officials are keeping a close eye on already-stressed hospitals as the number of cases is projected to rise for perhaps three more weeks. Cuomo said as many as 140,000 hospital beds may be needed in a state with 53,000.

The state has more than 30,000 confirmed cases and 285 deaths. The nation-high figures are driven mostly by New York City.

New York has enacted strict rules to keep residents inside as much as possible. And Cuomo said the rate of increase in new hospitalizations has already slowed, a possible early sign that the social-distancing rules are working.

“This is a very good sign, and a positive sign,” he said.

In New York City, as of 10 a.m. Wednesday, there are 17,856 positive cases and 199 fatalities, an increase of 2,259 cases and seven deaths since 6 p.m. Tuesday.

The true number of cases is far higher, as many people with COVID-19 symptoms have not tested, with officials asking that scare testing resources be conserved for hospital settings and high-risk patients.