New York state COVID rate hits new high at New Year’s start

The state reports that the total number of deaths in New York since the pandemic began has risen to 61,242

Over 85,000 people tested positive for the coronavirus statewide on the last day of 2021, a more than 10 percent rise from the day before, New York Gov. Kathy Hochul said Saturday.

Hochul reported in a release that the positive COVID-19 test results reached 85,476 on Friday, along with 88 more deaths.

Testing is a key tool in keeping our communities safe and more tests are coming to New York State every single day.
We’ve already received over five million tests to be distributed to schools — part of the 37 million we’ve secured to help boost testing capacity across our state. pic.twitter.com/gkX3OuzL9w

— Kathy Hochul (@GovKathyHochul) January 1, 2022

The continued escalation in positive test results raised the rate of positive tests to 22.2 percent and the seven-day average to nearly 20 percent, the state said.

New York reports that the total number of deaths in the state since the pandemic began has risen to 61,242. The number of patients hospitalized rose to 8,451 on Friday, an increase of 532 from the day before.

A medical staff member prepares the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine on Jan. 21, 2021. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong, File)

The deaths continue to occur even though the state reports that 89.2 percent of New Yorkers who are 18 and over have received at least one vaccine shot.

Hochul urged anyone who has not gotten a second or third vaccine shot to do so as soon as possible.

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