Customers wear personal protective equipment as they board an MTA bus as it operates without fees, Friday, April 24, 2020, in the Bronx borough of New York. (AP Photo/John Minchillo)
New York reported its lowest number of daily COVID-19 deaths in weeks on Friday.
The state reported 422 deaths as of Thursday. That's the fewest since March 31, when it recorded 391 deaths. More than 16,000 people have died in the state from the outbreak.
“Again, this is at an unimaginable level, and it’s dropping somewhat. But it’s still devastating news,” Gov. Andrew Cuomo said at his daily briefing.
The total number of people hospitalized statewide continues to drop slowly, hitting about 14,000, though the number of new patients coming into hospitals is basically flat, Cuomo said.
President Joe Biden has met with new House Speaker Mike Johnson at the White House. Johnson was joined by Democratic leader Hakeem Jeffries as they discussed Biden's request for nearly $106 billion for Israel, Ukraine and other national security needs.
The new leader of one of the chambers of Congress that will certify the winner of next year's presidential election helped spearhead the attempt to overturn the last one, raising alarms that Republicans could try to subvert the will of the voters if they remain in power despite safeguards enacted after the 2021 attack on the U.S. Capitol.