Practically half of COVID-infected hospital sufferers in New York have been initially admitted for different well being causes and solely realized they have been optimistic by means of routine testing, Governor Kathy Hochul introduced Friday.

In accordance with newly launched knowledge, 42 % of present coronavirus sufferers within the state entered the hospital for different points, comparable to accidents or coronary heart assaults, and later realized they have been contaminated with the virus. Of these, 37 % of sufferers didn't present signs of the virus earlier than testing optimistic.

The information marks the primary time New York hospitals have specified which "COVID sufferers" sought look after COVID and which merely came upon they're optimistic after they arrived. Hochul ordered hospitals to compile the knowledge on Monday with a purpose to make clear how the Omicron variant is affecting the most recent surge in admissions.

"I've all the time questioned, so we're trying on the hospitalizations of individuals testing optimistic," she stated Monday. "Is that particular person within the hospital due to COVID? Or did they present up there and are routinely examined and displaying optimistic and so they might have been asymptomatic and even simply had the sniffles?"

On Friday, Hochul stated about half of all COVID-19 sufferers in New York Metropolis have been admitted for causes except for the virus.

Hochul's newest announcement comes as COVID hospitalizations within the state have reached 11,548 as of Friday, marking the best whole since April 2020, based on NBC New York.

"Let's put this all in perspective, it is nonetheless a quantity that could be very excessive," Hochul added throughout the press convention. Nonetheless, the governor stated, hospitalizations ought to begin to see the beginnings of a plateau within the coming days.

Kathy Hochul New York Hospitals
New York Gov. Kathy Hochul stated Friday that nearly half of present COVID-19 contaminated sufferers in hospitals have been admitted for different well being causes. Right here, Hochul speaks after taking her ceremonial oath of workplace on August 24, 2021 in Albany, New York.Michael M. Santiago/Getty Pictures

New York is now reporting a mean of 70,000-plus new optimistic circumstances a day, marking a 173 % improve up to now two weeks, based on the New York Occasions. The inflow of recent circumstances is basically as a result of extremely contagious Omicron variant, which has prompted some hospitals to undergo from staffing shortages and turn out to be overwhelmed with new sufferers.

Hochul harassed this subject on Friday and requested New Yorkers who've gentle COVID-19 signs to not go to emergency rooms for testing or remedy.

"Proper now, too many New Yorkers are going to emergency rooms to get a take a look at. Simply to get a take a look at," she stated Friday, whereas including that the state has 2,000 state-run testing websites outdoors of hospitals. "Please don't go to an emergency room and tie up the assets, these people, so you may get a take a look at."

"I do know you are anxious, I actually perceive this, however when you're an grownup with very minor signs you may deal with the runny nostril," she added. "You possibly can deal with the throat being slightly sore, slightly little bit of cough. Simply deal with it as you'd a flu. Comply with the protocols. Please do not overburden our emergency rooms. They've a lot work to do."