ALBANY, N.Y. — Hospitalizations are on the decline and the rate of New Yorkers testing positive for COVID-19 has fallen to the lowest mark since before Thanksgiving.
That's according to state officials, who said Saturday that the state’s seven-day rolling average positivity rate has fallen 43 straight days.
The number of people hospitalized with the coronavirus, meanwhile, fell below 6,000 for the first time since December 14. Still, the virus claimed the lives of 97 New Yorkers on Friday.
The new numbers came as the state launched a pilot program that features the first indoor live performances since the pandemic began.
In the Western New York region, the seven-day rolling average fell to 2.87 percent, down from 3.01 percent on Thursday and 3.32 percent on Wednesday. Erie, Niagara, Chautauqua, Catteraugus and Allegany counties belong to this region.
The Finger Lakes region has been fairly steady the past three days, at 2.39 percent on Wednesday, 2.33 percent on Thursday, and then 2.37 percent on Friday. Orleans, Genesee and Wyoming counties are in this region.
"Our ability to beat back COVID is entirely dependent on our actions, and the post-holiday reduction in positivity and hospitalizations, demonstrates that New Yorkers are continuing to do the right things to stay safe," Gov. Andrew Cuomo said in a statement. "As these numbers go down, vaccinations are going up, and that means we're making real progress toward the light at the end of the tunnel.
"We have the capacity and distribution network to get even more vaccines in arms, but because of limited supply this will continue to be a marathon, not a sprint. In the meantime, we must continue masking up and practicing good social distancing: actions that we know will tame the COVID beast."