New York state reports 13.9% infection rate after state-wide antibody testing for COVID-19

After a sweeping state-wide 'antibody testing' in New York, state Governor Andrew Cuomo, on Thursday, revealed that preliminary estimates show a 13.9% infection rate of Coronavirus (COVID-19), at his daily press briefing. He revealed of the regions affected in the state, New York city topped with 21.2%, long Island at 16.7%, Westchester at 11.7%, and rest of state at 3.6%. Cuomo stated that 3,000 antibody samples have been collected from 40 locations in 19 counties.

New York Governor Cuomo announces coronavirus antibody testing

Cuomo: 13.9% of New York state affected

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New York state-wide antibody tests

On Sunday, Cuomo had announced state-wide anti-body testing to find out ' what percent of the population actually has had the coronavirus'. Sunday- incidentally, had been the first day that New York reported less than 500 deaths - 478 fatalities, in a single day from the coronavirus in nearly three weeks. Currently, New York has reported 2,68,512 cases with 20,792 deaths.

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Cuomo and Trump lock horns

Cuomo has often locked horns with Trump, criticising his delayed response to the pandemic. While Cuomo had publically appealed the US government to provide 30,000-40,000 ventilators, Trump has rubbished it. Later, after Trump announced a 3-step plan to 'open the United states', Cuomo formed a regional working group with states like New Jersey, Connecticut, Pennsylvania, Delaware, Rhode Island, and Massachusetts  to work out a reopening plan. While Trump has called for 'liberating' several democratic-controlled states, Cuomo , who has extended shutdown in New York till May 15, has saif reopening must be based on 'data, not politics'.

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Trump and Coronavirus

Trump who had earlier downplayed Coronavirus's effects - terming it a 'Chinese virus', has now called it the 'worst thing to hit the US'. The USA which has overtaken China in the number of positive cases has emerged as the epicenter of the pandemic with 8,66,105 cases and 48,809 deaths. While initially, Trump claimed to have the country 'up and running by Easter', he extended its social distancing restrictions till April 30. The White House, which has forecasted over 1,00,000- 2,40,00 deaths in the US, claims to have started flattening the curve.