Gov. Kathy Hochul and NYC Health Commissioner Ashwin Vasan warned New Yorkers Tuesday to stay vigilant of their health as a new variant of COVID-19 makes its way across the state, driving an increase in infections and hospitalizations even as the populace and government seek to move on from the pandemic.
The number of New Yorkers hospitalized for COVID more than doubled between July 28 and Aug. 28, according to state data, and cases have also risen considerably. The uptick may be due, in part, to the proliferation of BA.2.86, an Omicron variant nicknamed “Pirola,” which has begun to circulate around the world.
