“We are entering a challenging period of sustained COVID-19 spread across this state,” Governor Cuomo said. “It’s up to you, your neighborhood and your community to slow the spread. Our micro-cluster strategy can target very small areas with restrictions, so the actions each of us take and the actions our neighbors take may seem small, but they make a big difference. New York has one of the nation’s lowest infection rates and the nation’s highest testing capacity, but it will take the vigilance of New Yorkers to get us through the holidays and through this pandemic.”

The Governor noted that the positive testing rate in all focus areas under the state’s Micro-Cluster strategy is 5.65 percent, and outside the focus zone areas is 3.45 percent. Within the focus areas, 36,745 test results were reported yesterday, yielding 2,076 positives. In the remainder of the state, not counting these focus areas, 115,610 test results were reported, yielding 3,987 positives.

Today’s data is summarized briefly below:

• Patient Hospitalization – 3,287 (+184)
• Patients Newly Admitted – 433
• Hospital Counties – 54
• Number ICU – 654 (+18)
• Number ICU with Intubation – 331 (+37)
• Total Discharges – 84,938 (+215)
• Deaths – 42
• Total Deaths – 26,632

Yesterday, 42 New Yorkers died due to COVID-19 in New York State, bringing the total to 26,632.