New York City Mayor Says 23% Of COVID-19 Tests Came Back Positive, Down 35% From April 11

The percentage of people testing positive for the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in New York City has dropped from 58 on April 11 to 23 percent, indicating a steady improvement, Mayor Bill de Blasio said in a press briefing on Friday

NEW YORK (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 01st May, 2020) The percentage of people testing positive for the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in New York City has dropped from 58 on April 11 to 23 percent, indicating a steady improvement, Mayor Bill de Blasio said in a press briefing on Friday.

"The citywide percentage is really improving pretty steadily: on April 11, when we started the indicators - 58 percent, by last Friday - 30 percent, today - 23 percent," de Blasio said. "That's fantastic. Very, very hopeful sign."

Nevertheless, De Blasio said, New York City still has a wide level of the virus transmission, with 2,637 new cases diagnosed on Thursday, and 202 deaths. The goal is to reach the point where authorities would be able to track and act on every COVID-19 case, he said.

"This virus is tragically still alive and well and living in this city. We have not beaten it," the mayor said, adding that the fight would be ultimately won.

On a positive note, another indicator tracking the spread of COVID-19 in the city - the number of daily hospitalizations - has dropped from 850 on March 31 to 136 on April 29, de Blasio said.

Additionally, the number of patients treated in Intensive Care Units has also gone down to 704 people on April 29 from the highest number of 887 on April 14. According to de Blasio, the most recent number is encouraging, yet it is nowhere the sharp decrease that is needed to be witnessed in New York City.