The number of daily new coronavirus cases and deaths reported in New York was the lowest since the state started its lockdown in March, Gov. Andrew Cuomo said Tuesday, calling Memorial Day a "pivot point" for New York.
By the numbers: 73 New Yorkers died from coronavirus in the past 24 hours, and 200 people tested positive. Hospitalizations and intubations also decreased.
The big picture: Governors have had to hammer messaging on proper social distancing as summer begins and outdoor activities resume. Wearing a mask "has to be part of literally who we are and what we do everyday," Cuomo said stressing how long it took for the state to get cases under control.
What he's saying:
"Number of new COVID cases down to the lowest level since this ever started, just about 200. Amen. Number of lives lost, 73. That's the lowest level that we have seen since this started. So, again, in this absurd new reality, that is good news. Any other time and place when we lose 73 New Yorkers, it's tragic. It's tragic now, but relative to where we've been, we're on the other side of the curve and that's the lowest number that we've had."
