NY coronavirus death toll hits lowest point since March

The state’s daily coronavirus death toll hit its lowest mark in more than two months over the weekend.

There were 56 deaths from the contagion reported Saturday, “which is, in this absurd reality we live in, actually very, very good news,” Gov. Andrew Cuomo said Sunday at his daily press briefing.

“This reduction in the number is tremendous progress from where we were,” Cuomo said. “We have been to hell and back, but we are on the other side, which is a lesson for all of us.”

Saturday’s reported death toll was the lowest number since late March, when the state was in the grip of the pandemic and the daily fatality rate hovered around 800. The figure was down from the previous low Friday of 67.

Asked by a reporter at the briefing when state workers might be allowed to return to their offices as the contagion appears to be on the wane, Cuomo’s budget director, Robert Mujica, said it would not be up to individuals to decide when they can go back.

He said the state will decide who can go back when based on whatever phase-in plan a region is in and “when offices are safe,” when “social-distancing protocols” are in place.