Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced the state had an increase in new COVID-19 hospitalizations and said a "circuit breaker" will stop a reopening.

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Cuomo said COVID-19 hospitalization and intubations rates are down across New York, however, new COVID-19 hospitalizations were "actually up a tick" since Tuesday.

"So that is not good news," Cuomo said. "We don't want to see 1,000 new cases every day. We'd like to see that in the low hundreds."

The CDC believes a state can start a phased re-opening once a region experiences a 14-day decline in the hospitalization rate. On Tuesday, Cuomo reported the number of new COVID patients was below 1,000.

He announced 330 people died from COVID-19 in the last day, bringing the statewide total to 18,015.

In terms of reopening, Cuomo once again said reopening can't be based on politics or protests.

"No politics. No spin. No emotion. No conspiracies. Just the facts and the data and the science," he tweeted during his COVID-19 briefing on Wednesday.

He said a "circuit breaker" will stop a reopening. In order to continue to reopen, 30 percent of hospital beds and ICUs must be available and the virus transmission rate must be 1.1 or below.

Cuomo pointed to Germany reopening and the infection rate jumping, which he wants to avoid in New York. He said after opening the infection rate increased from 0.7 to 1 in Germany.

Cuomo once again blasted Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell's "bankruptcy" comment. He added there should be a "pause button" with politics.

"Even with people dying, you still want to play your politics? "What this is really about? It's the Washington double-speak. They want to fund the hotels, the airlines, the big corporations," Cuomo said.

He announced elective surgeries will be allowed in areas of the state where there isn't a fear of a coronavirus resurgence.

He also released preliminary antibody results from first responders. Over 2,000 New York City first responders were tested for COVID-19 antibodies.

  • FDNY and EMTs: 17.1%
  • NYPD: 10.5%
  • Downstate Average from previous antibody result: 18%

Cuomo also announced he wants every train, bus and subway to be disinfected each night.

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