More cases of COVID-19 were recorded Friday in New York City than during any other day since the start of the pandemic, and a record-breaking day was also reported for New York State.
This weekend New York City reported that it had topped 20,000 new cases of the virus diagnosed in one day. Moreover, the number of cases doubled within a three-day period last week, even though at least 70 percent of the city’s residents are “fully vaccinated.”
At least four public schools were shut down and another 25 are under investigation for possible closure, according to city data on Sunday, according to a report by WPIX Channel 11 News.
Nevertheless, Mayor Bill de Blasio continues to maintain there will be no school closures.
“I do not see a scenario for any kind of shutdown because we are so vaccinated as a city,” the mayor told reporters. “We don’t want to shut down, we want to vaccinate. Simple as that.”
De Blasio said in a special COVID briefing on Sunday that the skyrocketing number of new cases of the virus is “Clearly a challenge, a new challenge, but one we can meet. And what’s crucial for all New Yorkers to understand is, New York City is ready.”
ICYMI: Together with and , the Corps is distributing 500,000 rapid self-testing kits and 1 million KN95 masks to 150 participating CBOs across NYC. The time to step up our efforts to fight the pandemic is now. More: https://t.co/RLUinn6Suc pic.twitter.com/4lvoilHPNK
— NYC Health + Hospitals (@NYCHealthSystem)
De Blasio said 5,731 new cases of the virus qwew diagnosed on Saturday. Of those, 162 new patients were admitted to hospitals to be treated for the coronavirus.
“A really, really shocking figure and one that will keep growing undoubtedly,” the mayor said. He later added in a tweet that “Omicron is moving fast, but we’re moving faster to keep this city safe. This isn’t March of 2020. We’ve learned so much since then.”
is moving fast, but we’re moving faster to keep this city safe.
This isn’t March of 2020. We’ve learned so much since then.
You stepped up to protect yourself and your families by getting vaccinated.
We have treatments and strategies.
We know how to fight back.
— Mayor Bill de Blasio (@NYCMayor)
“Omicron has proven to be the fastest, fittest, and most formidable variant of the virus, thus far,” added Health Commissioner Dr. Dave Chokshi, who was also present at the briefing.
“This is in part due to its ability to evade the immune system, meaning that those who already had COVID and those who are vaccinated are more likely to be infected by omicron than past variants.”
Update:
-267,422 Test Results Reported
-22,478 Positives
-8.41% Positive
-3,880 Hospitalizations (-29)
-58 new deaths reported by healthcare facilities through HERDS pic.twitter.com/0WpXaAI0nl— Kathy Hochul (@GovKathyHochul)
For three days in a row, New York State likewise has set new single-day records for the number of cases of the virus diagnosed in the state, with 22,478 residents testing positive for COVID-19 out of 267,422 residents who were tested, bringing the state’s positivity rate to 8.41 percent.