NEW YORK — New York’s COVID-19 infection rate has reached a new low since a holiday resurgence in cases.
The latest tests came back positive at a rate of 2.99%, according to statewide statistics released by Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s office on Sunday. It was the first time the positivity rate fell below 3% since Nov. 23, three days before Thanksgiving.
In New York City, the latest average rate of positive tests was 4.41%.
Statewide, 75 New Yorkers died of COVID-19 on Saturday, bringing the official death toll to nearly 38,000 — among the highest in the country.
“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,” said Cuomo, who’s recently come under fire for his handling of data about fatalities in nursing homes.
“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,” he added.
