New York ICU patient count decreases for first time since coronavirus outbreak began

For the first time since the coronavirus outbreak began in the state of New York, the number of intensive care patients in hospitals statewide decreased from one day to the next, CNBC reported.

New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo (D) said Friday that the number of patients newly admitted into hospital ICUs was 17 fewer than the combined number of patients who either recovered and were discharged, or who died. The previous two days, the number of ICU patients increased by 302 and 84.

The number of new coronavirus deaths also decreased, with 777 new deaths Thursday after seeing 824 the previous day. Total hospitalizations in New York rose by 290, but the three-day average hospitalization rate is down, ABC News reported.

The state of New York has been hit so hard by the coronavirus that it has more confirmed cases of the virus than any country in the world, besides, obviously, the United States.

California has also seen a recent decrease in intensive care patients, with Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) reporting a 1.9% decrease in ICU admissions.

The debate over how long to continue nationwide social distancing and business shutdowns has intensified in recent weeks, but public health authorities and the leaders of key states have indicated that recent positive statistical trends mean the social distancing is working and should continue until the spread of the virus has subsided more.

Cuomo said he doesn't believe economic activity in New York should be restored until more people can be tested.

"We need a tremendous, mind-boggling increase in testing quickly ... as many as you can make, you can use" Cuomo said Friday.

President Donald Trump assured Americans on Friday that while he is looking at potential dates to resume normal activity, he won't call for things to reopen until health and safety can be assured. Current shutdown recommendations are in place until April 30.

"We're looking at a date, we hope we'll be able to fulfill a certain date, but we're not doing anything until we know this country is going to be healthy," Trump said, according to CNBC. "We don't want to go back and start doing it over again, even though it would be in a smaller scale."