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Coronavirus Updates: U.S. Hospitalizations Hit Record High As NYC Positivity Rate Increases
By
Elizabeth Kim
Published Nov 27, 2020
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Eduardo Munoz Alvarez/AP/Shutterstock
By
Elizabeth Kim
Published Nov 27, 2020
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This is our daily update of breaking COVID-19 news for Friday, November 27th, 2020. Previous daily updates can be found here, and up-to-date statistics are here.
New York City is in Phase 4 of reopening now, which includes zoos, botanical gardens, museums, and gyms, as well as 25% indoor dining. Certain parts of Brooklyn and Staten Island under a zoned shutdown. Get answers to questions youmay have with our "Ask An Epidemiologist" series, or learn more about NYC COVID-19 testing options with our explainer. Here are some local and state hotlines for more information: NYC: 311; NY State Hotline: 888-364-3065; NJ State Hotline: 800-222-1222.
Here's the latest:
- "Thank God We Have This Support": More New Yorkers Lining Up At City's Food Banks This Year
- Micro-clusters, Colored Zones, & Competing Positivity Rates: Why NYC School Reopenings And Shutdowns Have Become So Complicated
- Photos, Videos: Macy's Pulled Off Their Thanksgiving Day Parade During The Pandemic
The number of people in the United States hospitalized for COVID-19 on Thursday topped 90,000, marking a record high for the 17th day in a row and a grim sign of what lies ahead as infections continue to soar.
Around 125,000 new coronavirus cases were reported across the country. However, the full picture of infections and deaths was incomplete with 20 states or U.S. territories not reporting data on Thanksgiving Day, according to the COVID Tracking Project.
Public health experts are bracing for a spike in cases following Thanksgiving, which saw many people travel and gather with their families despite pleas from local officials to stay home. For the third time in a week, the Transportation Security Administration reported screening more than 1 million daily passengers, the highest level since the start of the pandemic in March.
In New York City, a flood of people scrambled to get tested prior to the holiday, resulting in hours-long waiting times. The city's Department of Health on Tuesday opened 25 new testing sites to meet the demand.
Mayor Bill de Blasio on Thursday announced that the citywide seven-day positivity rate is 3.33%. The number has been at or above 3% since November 11th. The state recorded 67 coronavirus deaths on Wednesday, the highest figure in nearly six months.
New daily hospitalizations due to the virus have been rising in every borough. Citywide, around 90 people are now hospitalized a day, the highest number since May.
Governor Andrew Cuomo has said that the state is now preparing a winter plan to manage the surge in cases and hospitalizations. He said the state intends to tweak its targeted approach by now factoring in an area's hospitalization rate and hospital capacity along with its positivity rates. The governor, however, did not provide any more specific details.
"The numbers tell the same story because we've seen the movie in New York," he told reporters on Thursday. "We've seen the movie across the country. The positivity goes up, more people get sick, more people go into the hospital, more people go into the ICU, more people get intubated, and the death number goes up."
Tagged
covid-19 updates
coronavirus
Elizabeth Kim
Elizabeth Kim is a reporter on the People and Power desk who covers mayoral power. She previously covered the pandemic, housing, redevelopment and public spaces. A native of Queens, she speaks fluent Mandarin. Got a tip? Email [email protected]
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Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
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