More than 1,000 new cases of COVID-19 have been confirmed on Long Island, although the overall rate of positivity in the region dropped slightly after a small spike over the weekend.
The state Department of Health was reporting 640 new COVID-19 confirmed infections in Nassau, with 554 additional new cases in Suffolk, bringing the total number of cases to 144,771 and 159,146 cases, respectively, since the pandemic began nearly a year ago.
According to the Department of Health, the positivity rate fell to 4.30 percent on Monday, February 22, after rising to 4.35 percent over the weekend. The positive infection rate remains among the highest in the nine regions of the state, just ahead of New York City (4.49%).
Across the state, the infection rate fell slightly from 3.53% to 3.46% in the same period.
As of Tuesday, February 23, there were 1,024 patients with COVID-19 – up from 986 the previous day – hospitalized on Long Island, representing 0.04 percent of the region’s population, the largest in New York.
The state also reported that 670 of Long Island’s 865 ICU beds were occupied by COVID-19 patients, leaving 22 percent available in the event of another virus outbreak.
If Long Island – or any of the other nine regions in the state – is at risk of reaching its hospital capacity rate of 90 percent in three weeks, Cuomo has promised to shut down the entire region.
Eight new COVID-19 deaths have been reported in Suffolk, as the total has risen to 3,043, according to the state, and there have been four in Nassau, as the death toll has risen to 2,879 since the pandemic began.
The last division of communities with the most confirmed COVID-19 cases in Nassau, according to the most recent data provided by the county Department of Health on February 23:
- Levittown: 3,884;
- Hicksville: 3,147;
- Freeport: 3,131;
- Hempstead: 3,131;
- East Meadow: 2,892;
- Valley Stream: 2,785;
- Near the ocean: 2,377;
- Elmont: 2,374;
- Long Beach: 2,361;
- Franklin Square: 2,306;
- Glen Cove: 2,180;
- Uniondale: 2,045;
- Massapequa: 1,742;
- Rockville Center: 1,722;
- Baldwin: 1,562;
- Woodmere: 1,532;
- Plainview: 1,478;
- West Hempstead: 1,476
- North Bellmore: 1,454;
- Massapequa do Norte: 1,418;
- Wantagh: 1,406;
- Lynbrook: 1,378;
- Mineola: 1,373;
- Merrick: 1,372;
- Massapequa Park: 1,341;
- Garden City: 1,335;
- East Massapequa: 1,332;
- Seaford: 1,324;
- Bethpage: 1,248.
Analysis of reported cases in Suffolk County, according to the Department of Health:
- Brookhaven: 44,213;
- Islip: 39,319;
- Babylon: 22,042;
- Huntington: 17,771;
- Smithtown: 11,074;
- Southampton: 4,717;
- Riverhead: 2,955;
- East Hampton: 1,404;
- Southold: 1,401;
- Shelter Island: 45.
There were 157,333 COVID-19 tests administered in New York on February 22, according to Cuomo, resulting in 5,977 new cases for a positive infection rate of 4.23 percent, slightly below the previous day.
There have been 86 new COVID-19-related deaths reported in the past 24 hours.
Cuomo noted that 91 percent of the first doses of the COVID-19 vaccine allocated to New Have were administered after 11 am on February 23.
A total of 2,477,825 first doses were received, with 2,252,945 administered. New York received 1,390,250 second doses, with 1,183,999 being administered to complete the vaccine.
“The decline in our hospitalization and infection rates is due to the dedication that New Yorkers have shown repeatedly to defeat this invisible enemy,” said Cuomo. “As our rates continue to fall, we are opening up our economy and proving that the distribution of vaccines can be fair and equitable.
“The light at the end of the tunnel is getting stronger and stronger every day, but we’re not there yet. I encourage New Yorkers to remain vigilant until the war is won: wear a mask, socially distance yourself and wash your hands . “
Across the state, a total of 1,591,585 positive COVID-19 cases were confirmed in more than 3.76 million tests that were administered. There have been a total of 38,031 virus-related deaths since the start of the pandemic
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