Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo announced on Saturday that elective surgeries can resume in Suffolk County after having been halted since March 25 to free up resources for Covid-19 patients.
Suffolk County Executive Steve Bellone said Saturday that the county is awaiting an executive order from the governor before allowing the procedures, and that he expected it shortly. The announcement, he said, was another sign that life in county was becoming "more normal."
From Friday to Saturday, the number of Covid-19 hospitalizations across the county decreased by 15 to 539, the number of patients in intensive care units rose by 1 to 186, and 40 people had been discharged.
The number of new positive cases increased by 223, and there were 24 new deaths, bringing the overall number of fatalities in Suffolk to 1,733.
Hospital beds were at 70 percent capacity, meeting the number required before the county can reopen, Mr. Bellone said, and available I.C.U. beds were at 68 percent, which surpasses the target.
As of Saturday night, the county reported 271 confirmed Covid-19 cases in East Hampton Town, 962 in Southampton Town, 656 in Riverhead, 8 on Shelter Island, and 404 in Southold.