Cuomo Warns of ‘False Comfort’ as Outbreak Recedes; Deaths Fall

(Bloomberg) --

Governor Andrew Cuomo warned New Yorkers Sunday not to get complacent about the risks of Covid-19 as the weather warms and the outbreak recedes substantially.

“My gut says the the weather is going to warm, and people want this over,” he told reporters in New York City. “They see the numbers going down. They can take false comfort.”

The state, the center of the U.S. outbreak, recorded 280 new deaths Sunday and down slightly from the 299 reported the day before. The toll has been relatively steady for the last week, returning to the levels of a month ago. Deaths spiked at 799 in mid-April.

He spoke a day after New Yorkers thronged to parks and beaches on a warm early spring day. Earlier, New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio said the “vast majority” of New Yorkers respected social-distancing rules and wore masks.

Still city police issued more than 50 summonses, and Cuomo said he will continue to order the police to enforce social distancing rules to avoid another rise in virus cases.

“I know people want to get out of the house,” the governor said. “Fine. Wear a mask and socially distance. That is your social responsibility in the middle of this overall pandemic.”

An Uneven Curve Flattening, With Manhattan Ahead of the Bronx

Cuomo both looked back to why the outbreak was so severe in New York as well as forward in how to better prepare for new epidemics.

He gathered, via video, the governors of New Jersey, Connecticut, Pennsylvania and Delaware to highlight the regional approach to reopening and greater bargaining power for purchasing medical supplies in the future. Rhode Island and Massachusetts are also included.

New Jersey on Alert for ‘Knucklehead' Actions Slowing Reboot

In contrast to other parts of the country, where states are easing lockdowns, none of the governors talked about an immediate reopening. New York is under lockdown until at least May 15 -- and even then will reopen only in phases starting in less-populated areas not hit as badly by the virus.

He said he was also ordering hospitals to have a 90-day stockpile of protective equipment for any future outbreaks.

Stronger Strain?

Cuomo also engaged in speculation, though he conceded he had no scientific proof, that the strain of the virus that hit New York was stronger than the one that arrived on the West Coast. Cases in the East Coast arrived largely from Europe, experts say, and from China on the West Coast.

“I've heard from some medical professionals that our strain was actually more virulent,” he said.

He said the overall trends continue to be largely positive: Total and new hospitalizations continue to drop as do intubations to ventilators.

The state reported on Sunday 3,438 new coronavirus cases for a total of 316,415.

But he said the number of deaths, which has remained steady in recent days, continued to be “tremendously distressing.”

No ‘Boomerang'

In his press briefing, de Blasio also cautioned New Yorkers to remain cautious, to wear masks and continue social distancing. He warned of a “boomerang” in cases if people ignore the restrictions.

“The danger is a bounce-back,” he said, “where the disease seems to go away and then reasserts.”

He said that the city was moving closer to its goal of providing its own testing. By Friday, the city will have 30,000 swabs and will be able to perform 50,000 tests a week later this month, he said.