Approximately 15 percent of New Yorkers have already had coronavirus, study says
The study also suggested the infection rate in New York City was much higher with 24.7% testing positive for Covid-19.
A new study found that nearly 15% of people in New York state, the world’s coronavirus epicenter, have already had the virus.
On Monday, New York Governor Andrew Cuomo said that preliminary results from a statewide study suggest that 14.9% of New Yorkers have the antibody for the virus, meaning that they have already contracted Covid-19. The governor went on to say that the study consisted of a sample size of 75,000 people.
Cuomo announced the deaths of 337 more people in the state who died from the virus during his briefing on Monday, bringing the total to 22,612. More than 293,000 have tested positive for coronavirus in the state, although the results from the new study suggest that number may be much higher.
An estimated 19.4 million people live in New York state. If the study is accurate an 14.9 percent have already contracted the virus, that means more than 2,800,000 have already had Covid-19.
The preliminary results also showed the infection rate was higher in men, with 16.9% infected compared to 13.1% of women. The study also suggested the infection rate in New York City was much higher with 24.7% testing positive for Covid-19 antibodies.
Cuomo said continuous monitoring of the antibody studies is critical in how the state will reopen, as well as keeping tabs on hospitalization rates, the overall infection rate and diagnostic testing. The governor urged businesses and officials to be cautious as the state gears up to begin reopening in phases, which will be spaced out in segments of at least two weeks.
‘We have a couple of weeks, but start thinking through what it means to reopen,’ Cuomo said.
‘…So turn that valve a little bit for a region, watch those four gauges very carefully every day…you can either close the valve, open the valve a little bit more or let the valve where it is.’