Jun 5, 2020
From Governor Cuomo @ 7:07 PM on June 5:
Yesterday we saw the lowest number of both deaths and hospitalizations since the COVID-19 pandemic began. 42 people passed away due to COVID-19, down from a record-high when 800 died in a single day just eight weeks ago. While our hearts ache for the families and friends who lost a loved one yesterday, we are thankful for the progress we have made together. The people of our state radically changed our behavior to look out for one another and it worked. Today's achievement is proof: We know change is possible and we know we can change course dramatically when we work in unity.
Here's what else you need to know tonight:
1. I am announcing the "Say Their Name" reform agenda following the murder of George Floyd and an ongoing pattern of police brutality against black communities. The four cornerstones of the agenda are: Transparency of prior disciplinary records of law enforcement officers; Banning chokeholds by law enforcement officers; Prohibiting false race-based 9-1-1 reports and making them a crime; and Designating the Attorney General as an independent prosecutor for matters relating to the deaths of unarmed civilians caused by law enforcement. Next week I will work with the State Legislature to get these policies done.
2. Nourish NY has been in place for 35 days and continues to provide New Yorkers across the state with access to food, by purchasing excess product from NY farms. To date, 306 distributions have taken place with an estimated 87,691 households receiving Nourish NY products. 4,000 farms have participated in the initiative.
3. We are continuing to aggressively test for COVID-19. Yesterday, the state conducted 66,064 tests, and only 1,075 of those tests came back positive for Coronavirus. For the latest data on the virus, visit the state's COVID tracker.
4. The number of total COVID hospitalizations is on the steady decline. Yesterday there were 2,728 total hospitalizations, down from 2,894 the day before.
Tonight's "Deep Breath Moment": Every year, the International Photography Awards conducts a competition to showcase stunning photography from around the world. The winners of this year's "OneShot: Movement" competition were recently announced and the photos are incredible. See all the winners and honorable mentions here.
If you were forwarded this email, you can subscribe to New York State's Coronavirus Updates