NY COVID numbers drop for 29th straight day

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People sit by heat lamps while dining outside a restaurant on the Upper West Side amid the coronavirus pandemic. (Photo by Noam Galai/Getty Images)

NEW YORK - For the 29th day in a row, New York's daily COVID positivity rates have dropped.

Hospitalizations across New York have dropped below 8,000, the lowest number since December 27 and the state's 7-day positivity average fell to 4.58%, the lowest number since December 2.

Nevertheless, Governor Andrew Cuomo reminded New Yorkers to be smart and avoid unnecessary gatherings on Super Bowl Sunday.

"New York's positivity and hospitalization numbers continue to decline from the holiday surge, a reflection of the discipline New Yorkers have shown to defeat the virus," Governor Cuomo said in a statement. "The ultimate weapon to win the war is the vaccine and we are getting needles into arms every day, but we need more supply because we have the operational capacity to do much more. Super Bowl weekend is here and while the instinct may be to celebrate together, we cannot get cocky - we must continue doing the things we know are effective at taming the virus: wear a mask, adhere to social distancing, and avoid gatherings. We can beat this thing, but we must stay smart."

The nation's top health officials also sounded the alarm ahead of the big game, urging people to gather with friends over Zoom.

• 'Don’t let Super Bowl become superspreader,' health officials urge

On Friday, Cuomo had doubled down on his decision not to lift a 10 p.m. dining curfew in New York City.