New York State is seeing a big uptick in the coronavirus infection rate.
The state reported a five point eight percent positivity rate on Friday but latest number show a jump to eight point three percent.
“We’re studying what the uptick in that number actually means. If you look around the country you seen significant upticks in just the past couple days.”
Governor Andrew Cuomo says one theory is because of the holidays, fewer people got tested and those who tested after Christmas may have been feeling sick, skewing the numbers. Cuomo says the other possibility is there was pre-Christmas spread showing up now.
Meanwhile...New York State is putting in stiff penalties for coronavirus vaccine fraud with one New York already company under investigation. State Health Commissioner Dr. Howard Zucker says Parcare Community Health Network never should have gotten the vaccine.
“They fraudulently filled out of a form that said they were a qualified health center. That was incorrect.”
And he alleges they gave the vaccine to people not on the priority list. Parcare says they followed state rules. Meanwhile, Governor Cuomo signed an executive order allowing the state to fine a provider up to a million dollars and take their licenses away for vaccine related fraud.
“Whenever you have a valuable commodity that is being dispensed you should expect fraud.”