May 10 (UPI) -- New coronavirus deaths and hospitalizations in New York fell to their lowest level since March this weekend, Gov. Andrew Cuomo said Sunday.
Cuomo said 521 people were hospitalized with COVID-19 on Saturday and 207 died of the virus taking the number of new cases "basically right where we started" when Cuomo signed an executive order closing nonessential businesses and ordering residents to observe social distancing practices on March 20.
"All of this work, all of this progress of turning that tide of reducing the rate of infection, that's all thanks to New Yorkers and what New Yorkers did," Cuomo said.
There have been 1,327,720 confirmed COVID-19 cases and a total of 79,495 deaths in the United States, according to data by Johns Hopkins University.
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New York leads all states with 26,805 deaths, followed by neighboring New Jersey, where Gov. Phil Murphy announced 137 more people died in the past 24 hours, bringing its death toll to 9,255.
Cuomo also announced new procedures for nursing homes ordering that all nursing home employees be tested for COVID-19 twice a week and barring nursing homes from accepting patients recovering from the virus.
"Any nursing home that fails to follow health procedures will lose their license. Remember: If a nursing home cannot provide adequate care, they MUST call the state Department of Health to transfer the resident."
The only other state to report triple-digit increases was Massachusetts with 139 new deaths for a total of 4,979 and third place.
Also Sunday, Michigan reported 25 deaths for a total of 4,551, Illinois 57 additional fatalities for 2,967, Pennsylvania gained 19 for 3,707 and California reported 67 new deaths for a total of 2,745.
Cuomo and Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker said Sunday their states are investigating an inflammatory syndrome in children potentially linked to COVID-19 which has resulted in the deaths of three children in New York including a 5-year-old, a 7-year-old and a teenager.
"The Department of Health is currently studying 73 cases of children experiencing inflammation of the blood vessels as a complication of COVID-19 and three young New Yorkers have already lost their lives as a result of this illness," Cuomo said in a statement.
Cuomo's office urged New Yorkers to seek immediate care if their child experiences a fever for more than five days, difficulty feeding or consuming fluids, severe abdominal pain, diarrhea or vomiting, pale, patch and/or blue skin, trouble breathing, increased heart rate or chest pain, decreased frequency of urination as well as lethargy, irritability or confusion.
