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Cuomo Restricts Home Gatherings To 10 People As New York Records Largest One Day Increase Of COVID Cases Since April

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Shelby Talcott Senior White House Correspondent
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New York recorded its largest one-day increase of COVID-19 cases since April, and Democratic Gov. Andrew Cuomo issued further restrictions in response.

The state saw 4,830 new coronavirus cases with a positivity rate of 2.9%, BNO Newsroom reported. The state also had 21 new deaths and reported 304 individuals in the intensive care unit and 1,628 in the hospital.

Amid the surges, Cuomo announced further restrictions to bars, restaurants and private residences Wednesday. In October, the governor urged against large gatherings and traveling for Thanksgiving, saying that “it’s not the time” but promising that residents will “get to see some real relief come.”

“New York follows the science,” Cuomo tweeted Wednesday afternoon. “We know indoor gatherings and parties are a major source of COVID spread. To slow the spread, NYS will limit indoor gatherings at private residences to 10 people.” (RELATED: Gov. Cuomo Says It Is ‘Bad News’ That Potential Virus Vaccine Comes While Donald Trump Is In Office)

Besides announcing limitations inside private residences, Cuomo also declared that “any establishment with a state liquor license, including bars and restaurants, must close at 10pm.” Gyms will also have to close at this time, he wrote on Twitter.

All of the statewide rules will go into effect at the same time, according to Cuomo. It is not immediately clear how the state plans to enforce some of the restrictions, particularly with regards to indoor gatherings at private residences.

“If the measures are not sufficient to slow the spread, we will turn the valve more and part of that would be reducing the number of people indoor dining,” Cuomo said Wednesday according to CBS New York.

“If that doesn’t work, if numbers keep going crazy, there are some scientists who believe we should close down. I hope that doesn’t happen,” he added.