New York — More than 1,200 people have now died from coronavirus in New York, just 29 days after the state confirmed its first case and a little over two weeks after its first deaths.

The statewide death toll is now 1,218, Gov. Andrew Cuomo said Monday. That’s up from 965 on Sunday and 157 just a week ago.

“The situation is painfully clear,” Cuomo said during a press briefing in New York City. “There’s no question what we’re dealing with. There’s no question as to the consequences. There’s no question as to the grief and loss of life.”

It’s the third day in a row deaths rose by over 200 people. Each day has set a new high point for deaths in a single day in the state.

A total of 9,517 people, about 14 percent of all cases, are now hospitalized due to the virus and 2,352 patients, about 3.5 percent of all cases, are in intensive care units.

And though hospitalizations continue to increase, the rate at which they are doubling has slowed further, Cuomo said. It’s now down to every six days from every two days earlier.

Net new hospitalizations have hovered mainly between 1,000 and 1,200 in recent days, although they dipped to 847 on Friday. A week ago, the total was 714.

Net daily ICU admissions reached as high as 374 on Thursday and as low as 172 on Friday. Daily ICU admissions totaled 135 a week ago.

The state now has 66,497 confirmed cases of coronavirus, an increase of 6,986 overnight.

New York continues to test large numbers of people for the virus, which naturally leads to more positive results. The state conducted another 14,000 tests yesterday, Cuomo said.

New York continues to lead the nation in total cases. New Jersey is second with about 13,000 cases and California is third with about 6,200.

The peak of the virus is expected in two to three weeks and Cuomo has said it will hit harder than previously estimated. New York will need far more hospital beds and ventilators than it currently has.

The state has taken extraordinary steps to prepare for the worst of the virus and to try to slow its spread.

Workers at nonessential businesses in the state must now stay home. Schools are closed. Social gatherings must be postponed.

All New Yorkers must stay inside and at home as much as possible and only go out for exercise and needed errands like grocery shopping and medical care.

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