Cuomo Anticipates Coronavirus Situation Will 'Deteriorate' Soon

NEW YORK CITY — Gov. Andrew Cuomo on Friday gave New Yorkers some good news and bad news.

The good news — New York still has one of the lowest coronavirus positivity rates in the nation at 2.6 percent.

"The bad news is we are in the midst of a sea of COVID rising around us,” he said.

Cuomo said he plans to hold an emergency six-governor summit this weekend to address rising COVID-19 cases among their Northeast states and coordinate their responses.

This week, he followed suit with New Jersey and other neighboring states and instituted new curfews on bars and restaurants and other restrictions.

More restrictions likely won't be added over the weekend as officials track coronavirus rates following the changes, Cuomo said. But that could change starting Monday, he said.

"I believe the situation will continue to deteriorate over the coming weeks,” he said.

New York City, like the state, has remained in relative good standing as coronavirus surged across the country. But it's now on the edge of shutting down schools — a decision Cuomo said effectively lies with Mayor Bill de Blasio — as it reaches a 3 percent positivity threshold.

Cuomo tied the rise to bars, restaurants and gatherings at homes, what he called "living room spread." The holiday season could be recipe for even more spread, he said.

"You cannot defy reality and reality is the virus transmits and the virus is mobile, and we’re in the holiday season,” he said.