Cuomo says the apex is now approaching in about 14-21 days. Last week, it was estimated NYS would reach peak in 45 days.

ALBANY, N.Y. — New York Governor Andrew Cuomo says the rate of infection for coronavirus (COVID-19) is going up and at a rapid pace.

Cuomo says the apex is now approaching in about 14-21 days. Last week, it was estimated NYS would reach peak in 45 days.

"We need to flatten the curve, but we're not flattening the curve. We're not slowing it.. it's accelerating on its own," Gov. Cuomo said of the virus.

New York State currently has 25,665 confirmed cases of COVID-19. New York's numbers are higher then anywhere in the country, mainly because they're doing more testing, the governor says.

Cuomo is calling on hospitals to increase their capacity to handle the high volume of patients.

One of the critical needs facing the state's hospital system is ventilators. They have procured 7,000, but need an additional 30,000 ventilators to meet the anticipated needs.

The state is also experimenting with splitting ventilators to put two people on one ventilator.

Cuomo is urging the federal government to initiate the Federal Defense Production Act to command manufacturers to start producing ventilators.

The governor also announced the Federal Drug Administration (FDA) has approved the New York State Department of Health can begin using an experimental drug treatment, hydroxychloroquine and zithromax, on compassionate care cases. The Department of Health has been given permission to start using plasma injections, which allows the antibodies of a patient who has recovered from COVID-19 and inject them into a patient currently fighting the virus.

Officials say by reducing density of the population, and isolating those confirmed with the virus, we can flatten the curve.