New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo lifted the elective surgery ban in Erie County after a decline in the county's positivity rates, the state announced Jan. 25.
The state's positivity rate has declined for nearly three weeks. It fell from 8.6 percent on Jan. 7, to 5.2 percent on Jan. 25,prompting Mr. Cuomo to lift the elective surgery ban in Erie County.
"We now feel comfortable resuming elective surgeries there and will have more adjustments over the next couple of days," said Mr. Cuomo.
As of Jan. 25, New York had 8,730 COVID-19 patients hospitalized statewide, 1,522 patients in the intensive care unit and 1,005 patients intubated. The state's rate of transmission dropped below 1. A transmission rate under 1 is an indicator the disease isn't spreading as quickly.