New York state COVID hospitalizations ballooned over the Christmas holiday, topping 5,500 for the first time since late February, Gov. Kathy Hochul said Monday, and while daily cases were considerably lower than the record-shattering highs of the last 10 days, a more accurate picture on that front is expected in a day.
As of Monday, statewide hospitalizations stand at 5,526, the highest total since February 23 and a near 190% increase since Nov. 1 alone. That’s still well short of the 7,000 New Yorkers who were hospitalized with COVID this time last year, and the sheer volume of omicron infections will likely translate to some more severe cases by default, especially among the unvaccinated, Hochul says.
More troubling than the numbers themselves is the population among whom there has been a “striking increase” in admissions as of late: Children. Pediatric hospitalizations are becoming an increasing point of concern as well, according to data Hochul shared Tuesday. COVID admissions for kids are now up to 184 statewide, 109 of them in New York City. Two weeks ago, there were 70.
Dr. Mary T. Bassett, the state health commissioner who suffered a breakthrough COVID case last week but was masked, 6 feet from the governor in Monday’s briefing, said pediatric COVID hospitalizations have doubled in the last three weeks. In New York City, they’ve quintupled in that time span, she said. READ MORE
