New York state may experience the height of the novel coronavirus pandemic sooner than previously predicted, Gov. Andrew Cuomo said at a press conference Sunday.

Experts now have differing opinions on what the outbreak’s peak will look like, making it difficult for the state to plan, Cuomo said. It’s possible that the number of cases will remain at a steady high for some period of time before declining, rather than increase sharply, he said.

“By the data, we could be very near the apex, or the apex could be a plateau, and we could be on that plateau right now,” Cuomo said.

The state has also seen a minor decrease in the virus’ fatality rate since yesterday, the governor said. The novel coronavirus cases COVID-19, a respiratory disease that has infected over 1.2 million people and killed at least 68,412 worldwide. New York state has confirmed 122,177 cases of the virus, and 4,159 people have died.

Cuomo said Friday that he will pass an executive order allowing the National Guard to redistribute unused health equipment to hospitals with the highest need. Medical supplies in New York state, including ventilators, are still low, he said.

“The number of beds doesn’t really matter anymore. We have the beds. We need the ventilators and the staff,” Cuomo said Sunday. “We’re literally going day-to-day with our supplies, which is counterintuitive.”

New York state hospitals are under significant stress, doing more than ever before while using the same amount of resources, Cuomo said. The opening of the temporary facility at the Javits Center should provide a major relief to the state’s hospital system, he said.

The key to returning to normalcy is conducting faster COVID-19 testing, Cuomo said. The state is working on developing rapid testing methods and treatments for the virus. People can start to return to work once this rapid testing is in place, he said.

Cuomo said cabin fever is an “accompanying affliction” of the COVID-19 pandemic. Feelings of isolation, mood swings and resentment toward people around you are parts of the outbreak that need to be taken seriously, he said.

“You find me a generation that hasn’t had a challenge to deal with,” Cuomo said. “This is going to be over. You can see where the story ends.”

Cuomo predicts other states will experience the same numbers of confirmed cases as New York state. Once it has passed its curve, New York state will be ready to provide equipment and personnel to any state in need.

“Whatever any community needs, we will be there,” Cuomo said.

Published on April 5, 2020 at 5:02 pm

Contact Sarah: scalessa@syr.edu | @sarahalessan