New York Breaks Record For Single-Day Positive COVID Cases For 2nd Consecutive Day
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) -- New York set another record for single-day positive COVID cases Saturday.
Statewide, 21,908 people tested positive, beating out the previous day's total of 21,027 positives. That's the highest number of reported COVID cases since the pandemic began, and that pushed the daily positivity rate to nearly 8%.
The seven-day average positivity percentage rate increased to just over 6%.
Hospitalizations are also rising to just over 3,800, but that's nowhere close to what we saw in the beginning of the pandemic.
Meanwhile, in New York City, more than 5,000 new COVID cases were reported, and health officials say just over 200 people were admitted to area hospitals.
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Vaccinations continue, however. City officials say more than 12 million people have been vaccinated.
Health officials say vaccines are the key to fighting this surge.
With that in mind, Gov. Kathy Hochul announced 40 new COVID vaccine pop-up sites across the state. Many opened Saturday, including some in New York City.
At Cornerstone Baptist Church in Bedford-Stuyvesant, Brooklyn, anyone could get their initial doses of the Moderna or Pfizer vaccine or the Pfizer booster.
It's part of the state's plan to fight the winter surge in COVID cases and the fast-spreading Omicron variant. It's also part of a multi-week effort to raise vaccination numbers in certain communities.
"Also to have trusted people from the community that are here, able to answer questions, and just access is really important," said Frances Harris, with Choose Healthy Life.
The event also had COVID testing and a grocery giveaway.
Omicron fears and rising numbers are sparking longer lines at testing sites around the city. Wait times can be as short as 30 minutes and as long as two hours in some places.
"That's why everyone is getting tested, because the numbers are going up at an alarming rate and it's scary," said Raymond Perez, deacon of the First Spanish United Methodist Church.
A mobile testing site outside the church is open from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. seven days a week. Perez says there have been longer lines over the last few days.
"We're trying to make sure that we were served this time because we understand that there is a need for testing right now. And even though people are vaccinated there's a need to be tested," he told CBS2's Thalia Perez.
FIND TESTING SITES: Click here for New York City's testing site locator, including mobile sites and at-home appointments
AVOID THE LINES: Click here for NYC Health+Hospitals testing wait times
With people planning to travel or see family over the holidays, getting tested is a must.
"I was exposed by multiple people over the last few days, so I keep getting tested, just in case," said Emily Kubashky.
Some testing locations reported that they ran out of supplies. Numerous pharmacies also said they ran out of rapid at-home test kits.
CBS2's Thalia Perez contributed to this report.
