Healthcare workers wheel a patient into a hospital in New York, the United States, Jan. 1, 2021.(Photo: Xinhua)

 
COVID-19 hospitalizations in New York state dropped to 5,259 on Saturday, compared with 5,445 one day earlier, or the lowest since Dec. 9, said Governor Andrew Cuomo in an official release issued on Sunday.

Meanwhile, the seven-day average positivity rate reached 3.14 percent on Saturday, down from 3.18 on Friday, or the lowest since Nov. 25, he said, adding that the single-day positivity reached 2.77 percent on Saturday, down from 2.85 percent one day earlier, or the lowest since Nov. 21.

"New Yorkers have shown dedication and determination throughout this crisis and it shows in the numbers," the governor was quoted as saying.

"The footrace between the infection, hospitalization and vaccination rates is at full speed and with the promise of the new Johnson & Johnson vaccine coming online, there is no doubt we are getting closer to reaching the light at the end of the tunnel," he said.

"While this is all positive news, now is not the time to get complacent. I encourage everyone to stay smart, stay tough and continue the practices we know are effective against this virus," he added.

Late Saturday, Cuomo tweeted, "90% of first doses allocated to NYS health care distribution sites have been administered as of 1 pm today. 3,075,220 first doses received. 2,773,365 first doses administered."

As of Sunday noon, the Center for Systems Science and Engineering at Johns Hopkins University reported 47,498 deaths in New York state, the second worst in the country following the state of California with a death toll of 51,953.