New York Governor Rev. Andrew Cuomo speaks during a daily briefing on July 13, 2020, after an outbreak of coronavirus (COVD-19) in Manhattan, New York City, New York.
Mike Seger | Reuters
New York will impose a handful of coronavirus bans on residents and businesses across the state as it faces a number of “hotspot” outbreaks and tries to avoid an increase in cases, the government’s Andrew Cuomo said Wednesday.
Restaurant rentals and bars licensed by the state Liquor Authority will be ordered to close at 10pm starting Friday, although before that time they will be able to work for curbside pickups, Kuomo said in a call with reporters. The gym will also be forced to close at that time.
“What is a state-licensed facility? It’s a bar, it’s a restaurant, it has a majority,” he said.
He said the state would also crack down on people gathering inside before the holiday season and ban gatherings of more than 10 people in private residences.
“What we’re seeing is exactly what they predicted for months,” Kumo said. “We’re seeing an increase in national and global covid, and New York is a covid tidal vessel.”
Health officials in New York are responding to many hotspots in the zip code that report pos positivity rates, or percentages of positive tests, compared to other parts of the state. According to a CNBC analysis of data compiled by Johns Hopkins University, New York averaged about 2,641 cases a week, an increase of more than 22% from a week earlier.
That daily average, however, is still much lower than at the beginning of this year when New York is considered the center of the country’s Covid-1 ep. While about 10,000 new cases are reported in a day in the spring than its average, the state is taking more tests than that.
During the summer and autumn months to suppress the spread of the New York virus, Cuomo gradually allowed more industries to reopen at reduced capacity, such as indoor dining in restaurants, gyms and museums.
Now that the case has begun to rise in neighboring states, it is a warning sign for New York. New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy unveiled a set of new restrictions, including a ban on indoor dining and international sporting events, which will begin Thursday, as the state seeks to curb its growing fury.
“They say in the race, ‘Run with the tape.’ “Just finish the race. We’ve had a terrible eight months. We’re in this last little lap. Let’s do what we have to do to get through it and then rebuild together,” Kuomo told reporters.
This is a developing story. Please check back later for updates.
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