New York Reports Major Jump in COVID-19 Cases, Now Has Over 4,000 Patients

An empty Times Square is seen following the outbreak of COVID-19 in New York City on March 18, 2020. (Jeenah Moon/Reuters)

New York reported a huge increase in cases of COVID-19 on Thursday, with over 1,700 people testing positive for the new disease overnight.

The state reported 1,769 new cases, of which 1,129 were in New York City.

New York now has 4,152 cases, including 2,469 in the city. Westchester County has 798 cases and Nassau County has 372 cases.

New York state has the highest number of cases in the United States. The figures are going up because of widespread testing, Gov. Andrew Cuomo said at a press conference in Albany.

About 8,000 people were tested in the state in the last 24 hours, bringing the total number tested to 22,284.

Because of the jump in confirmed cases, non-essential businesses can have no more than 25 percent of their workforce in their office. A day earlier, the governor mandated no more than 50 percent of the workforce could work in offices.

Essential services include food, pharmacies, and shipping.

An empty Fifth Avenue is seen following the outbreak of COVID-19 in New York City on March 18, 2020. (Jeenah Moon/Reuters)

Cuomo also announced a number of other orders, including a mandate that all retail shopping malls, amusement parks, and bowling alleys close by 8 p.m. on Thursday. Connecticut, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania made the same order.

Casinos, gyms, and theaters are also closed until further notice.

The state previously announced that all bars and gyms needed to close and that all restaurants could only serve take-out or delivery orders.

Cuomo compared the CCP virus pandemic to the Sept. 11, 2001 terror attacks in causing “fear and panic” but urged people to remain calm.

“Nobody can tell you whether this is going to be 30 days or 60 days or four months or five months or nine months,” Cuomo said. “Nobody can tell you when this is going to end. I’ve talked to all the experts.”

“It is a situation that is one of the most disruptive that I have seen. And it will change almost everything going forward. It will,” he added.

COVID-19 is caused by the novel coronavirus, which The Epoch Times refers to as the CCP virus because the Chinese Communist Party’s coverup and mismanagement allowed the virus to spread throughout China and create a global pandemic.

People wear masks near Times Square, New York City, on March 11, 2020. (Chung I Ho/The Epoch Times)

Cuomo later called people gathering at beaches and other places “reckless” after pictures showed partying taking place at Miami Beach, Florida, and elsewhere.

He brought his daughter to the briefing, Michaela Kennedy Cuomo, a 22-year-old who planned to go on spring break but opted not to after the new virus began spreading.

“She made the right decision. I’m proud of her for that,” Cuomo said.

“What these people are doing: the risk does not justify the reward.”

Young people can get the virus, Cuomo said, calling the idea they can’t a “myth.” They can also pass it on to other people.