COVID-related hospitalizations in New York City increased 245% in last month

COVID-19 hospitalizations in New York City have jumped more than 245% in the past month thanks to the spread of the highly contagious Delta variant, data shows.

The number of New Yorkers hospitalized with the virus reached 1,225 on Sunday, up from 354 on July 8, according to the latest figures from Governor Andrew Cuomo’s office.

Meanwhile, in the Big Apple, there were 554 new patients hospitalized with the virus on Sunday, according to state figures. That number was the highest since May 20, when there were 590 hospitalizations for COVID-19, the data showed.

In New York City, the Delta variant accounts for about 83% of current COVID-19 cases, according to data.

The Federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has already designated about three-quarters of the state’s counties as areas of “high” or “substantial” transmission.

The agency recommends that these coronavirus hot spots require people to wear masks indoors, regardless of their vaccination status.

Currently, about 68% of New Yorkers are fully vaccinated against the virus, data shows.