New York state confirmed 330 coronavirus-related deaths Wednesday, bringing the virus’s death toll in the state to 18,015.

The number of new deaths is a significant drop from early April, when the state reported nearly 800 virus-related deaths each day, Gov. Andrew Cuomo said at a media briefing. The death rate has remained steady this week, with 337 deaths reported on Monday and 335 reported on Tuesday.

The coronavirus caused COVID-19, a respiratory disease that has infected more than 3.1 million people worldwide and killed 226,771. The virus has infected 299,691 people in New York state as of Wednesday morning, Cuomo said.

Cuomo has ordered the closure of nonessential businesses in New York state until May 15 to curb the spread of COVID-19. The state plans to begin a phased reopening of nonessential businesses after May 15.

Research and expert advice will guide the state’s decisions in reopening schools and businesses, Cuomo said.

“We must make reopening decisions based on fact,” Cuomo said. “No politics. No spin. No emotion. No conspiracies. Just the facts and the data and the science.”

The state’s declining number of new COVID-19 deaths shows that progress is being made, but the decrease does not mean the virus’s threat has diminished, Cuomo said.

The number of patients admitted to hospitals due to COVID-19 has risen slightly for the first time in 12 days, Cuomo said.

“That is not good news,” he said.

The state is currently testing 30,000 people a day for the virus, Cuomo said. State officials previously set a goal to conduct 40,000 COVID-19 tests per day.

The governor also announced he would issue an executive order allowing elective surgeries to resume in 35 of New York state’s 62 counties, including Onondaga County.

Cuomo, a Democrat, criticized Republican politicians, including Sen. Rick Scott (R-Fla.), who have said that New York state is trying to exploit the health crisis for federal funding.

“It’s just theater,” Cuomo said. “It’s just smoke and mirrors to avoid the American people seeing the reality, which is whose pocket they want to put money in.”

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) and his “partisan brigade” are dividing the country, Cuomo said.

Cuomo displayed a collage of masks that had been sent to New York state from around the country. The governor’s office later clarified the state is planning to distribute the masks.

“A little bit more of this and a little less of the partisanship and the ugliness and this country will be a beautiful place,” Cuomo said.

Published on April 29, 2020 at 11:21 pm

Contact Michael: msessa@syr.edu | @MichaelSessa3