December 22, 2020
Albany, NY

Governor Cuomo Announces Wadsworth Laboratory Has Begun Research of the New COVID-19 Strain

Wadsworth Laboratory Has Partnered With Six Hospitals Across the State to Obtain Additional Samples

To date, 50,000 Doses of COVID-19 Vaccine Administered in New York

Governor Calls on Hospitals, Nursing Homes and Medical Personnel to Continue Vaccinations Throughout the Holidays

6,661 Patient Hospitalizations Statewide

1,126 Patients in the ICU; 614 Intubated

Statewide Positivity Rate is 5.89%

139 COVID-19 Deaths in New York State Yesterday

Governor Andrew M. Cuomo today announced that Wadsworth Laboratory has begun aggressive research of the new, highly contagious COVID-19 strain that has been discovered in the United Kingdom. Already, Wadsworth has looked at more than 3,700 virus sequences identified in New York, but has yet to find the U.K. variant present in any of the samples. Additionally, Wadsworth and the Department of Health have forged agreements with six hospitals from across the State to obtain additional samples and is continuing to make arrangements with other hospitals to do the same. Those hospitals with agreements already in place include:

  • Montefiore
  • Memorial Sloan Kettering
  • Northwell Long Island
  • University of Rochester
  • Albany Medical Center
  • Saratoga Hospital

The Governor also announced that to date, 50,000 doses of the vaccine have been administered throughout New York. The state has received 630,000 doses thus far and expects to receive another 300,000 doses next week. With Christmas and Kwanzaa rapidly approaching, the Governor also called on hospitals, nursing homes, and medical personnel to continue providing vaccinations throughout the holidays to ensure nursing home patients and front line health care workers are protected as quickly as possible.

"The U.K. variant is a real issue - not only is it believed to be 70 percent more contagious than previous strains, but there is a very real chance it is already here. Upon learning of this new variant, we immediately worked with airlines to ensure that anyone getting on a plane from the U.K. bound for New York tests negative, but we need federal action and we need it now," Governor Cuomo said. "We know that the virus originally got on a plane and came to New York from Europe in the spring. It's inexcusable that the federal government has failed to learn that lesson and we need them to do the smart thing and institute testing requirements for travelers entering the United States from any country. In the meantime, it's on the rest of us to be smart and continue fighting to stop the spread. Just remember -- celebrating smart stops shutdowns. So as everyone prepares to celebrate the holidays, do your part and socially distance, wear a mask and wash your hands."

Today's data is summarized briefly below:

  • Test Results Reported - 164,868
  • Tested Positive - 9,716
  • Percent Positive - 5.89%
  • Patient Hospitalization - 6,661 (+330)
  • Patients Newly Admitted - 801
  • Hospital Counties - 55
  • Number ICU - 1,126 (+31)
  • Number ICU with Intubation - 614 (+1)
  • Total Discharges - 96,185 (+406)
  • Deaths - 139
  • Total Deaths - 28,850

The regional hospital bed capacity and occupancy numbers, including the number of hospitalizations as a percent of the region's population, is as follows:

Region

COVID Patients Currently in Hospital in Region

COVID Patients as Percent of Region Population

Percent of Hospital Beds Available in Region (7-Day Avg)

Capital Region

362

0.03%

25%

Central New York

434

0.06%

27%

Finger Lakes

775

0.06%

33%

Long Island

1,122

0.04%

25%

Mid-Hudson

776

0.03%

34%

Mohawk Valley

217

0.04%

31%

New York City

2,242

0.03%

29%

North Country

61

0.01%

50%

Southern Tier

182

0.03%

44%

Western New York

490

0.04%

30%

Statewide

6,661

0.03%

30%

The regional ICU bed capacity and occupancy numbers are as follows:

Region

Total ICU Beds in Region

Total Occupied ICU Beds in Region

Percent of ICU Beds Available in Region (7-day Avg)

Capital Region

212

176

24%

Central New York

275

211

29%

Finger Lakes

397

274

31%

Long Island

814

617

25%

Mid-Hudson

713

422

42%

Mohawk Valley

132

95

27%

New York City

2,418

1,749

28%

North Country

73

40

50%

Southern Tier

125

77

37%

Western New York

545

326

42%

NYS TOTAL

5,704

3,987

31%

Yesterday, 164,868 test results were reported to New York State, and 5.89 percent were positive. Each region's 7-day average percentage of positive test results reported over the last three days is as follows:

REGION

SATURDAY

SUNDAY

MONDAY

Capital Region

6.89%

6.92%

6.98%

Central New York

6.70%

6.64%

6.58%

Finger Lakes

8.34%

8.28%

8.39%

Long Island

6.30%

6.39%

6.51%

Mid-Hudson

6.36%

6.25%

6.29%

Mohawk Valley

8.18%

8.46%

8.54%

New York City

4.24%

4.28%

4.31%

North Country

4.99%

5.10%

5.23%

Southern Tier

2.49%

2.39%

2.48%

Western New York

6.37%

6.42%

6.49%

Statewide

5.38%

5.39%

5.46%

Each New York City borough's 7-day average percentage of positive test results reported over the last three days is as follows:

BOROUGH

SATURDAY

SUNDAY

MONDAY

Bronx

4.92%

5.01%

5.03%

Brooklyn

4.36%

4.43%

4.45%

Manhattan

2.72%

2.75%

2.75%

Queens

4.82%

4.83%

4.94%

Staten Island

5.38%

5.44%

5.54%

Of the 866,765 total individuals who tested positive for the virus, the geographic breakdown is as follows:

County

Total Positive

New Positive

Albany

9,586

209

Allegany

1,607

31

Broome

7,144

61

Cattaraugus

2,108

53

Cayuga

2,164

46

Chautauqua

2,870

47

Chemung

4,136

30

Chenango

996

8

Clinton

818

14

Columbia

1,402

27

Cortland

1,768

23

Delaware

596

6

Dutchess

10,620

215

Erie

37,214

426

Essex

453

10

Franklin

609

18

Fulton

1,100

44

Genesee

2,145

65

Greene

1,016

17

Hamilton

87

2

Herkimer

1,541

46

Jefferson

1,379

35

Lewis

684

11

Livingston

1,483

51

Madison

1,912

15

Monroe

28,762

443

Montgomery

1,031

58

Nassau

77,968

880

Niagara

7,137

165

NYC

387,267

3,456

Oneida

9,738

167

Onondaga

18,081

221

Ontario

2,613

45

Orange

21,327

179

Orleans

1,096

15

Oswego

2,872

45

Otsego

1,036

20

Putnam

4,231

63

Rensselaer

3,332

106

Rockland

25,579

166

Saratoga

4,316

137

Schenectady

4,695

117

Schoharie

438

12

Schuyler

449

4

Seneca

619

12

St. Lawrence

1,657

44

Steuben

2,870

45

Suffolk

84,146

1,034

Sullivan

2,741

27

Tioga

1,486

6

Tompkins

1,816

18

Ulster

5,001

75

Warren

878

35

Washington

671

20

Wayne

2,047

29

Westchester

63,909

536

Wyoming

1,108

20

Yates

410

6

Yesterday, 139 New Yorkers died due to COVID-19 in New York State, bringing the total to 28,850. A geographic breakdown is as follows, by county of residence:

Deaths by County of Residence

County

New Deaths

Albany

1

Allegany

2

Bronx

3

Broome

4

Chautauqua

1

Chemung

4

Clinton

2

Columbia

1

Cortland

2

Dutchess

2

Erie

14

Genesee

2

Kings

6

Madison

2

Manhattan

3

Monroe

29

Montgomery

2

Nassau

6

Niagara

3

Oneida

2

Onondaga

8

Orange

2

Orleans

2

Queens

7

Rensselaer

1

Richmond

2

Rockland

2

Schenectady

1

Seneca

1

St. Lawrence

1

Steuben

2

Suffolk

12

Ulster

1

Westchester

6

Contact the Governor's Press Office

Contact us by phone:

Albany: (518) 474 - 8418
New York City: (212) 681 - 4640

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