NY Gov Cuomo postpones primary election

NY Gov Cuomo postpones primary election

New York Governor Andrew Cuomo said on Saturday he was postponing the state's April 28 presidential primary to June 23.

Colette Luke has more

New York Governor Andrew Cuomo said on Saturday he was postponing the state's presidential primary to a later date.

(SOUNDBITE) NEW YORK GOVERNOR ANDREW CUOMO SAYING: "We're supposed to have a presidential primary election on April 28th, I don't think it's wise to be bringing a lot of people to one location to vote, a lot of people touching one doorknob, a lot of people touching one pen, so we are going to delay that and link it to an election that was previously scheduled on june 23rd.

The June 23rd date is for state legislative races, we'll move the presidential election to that date..." Cuomo, who has become a leading national voice on the coronavirus pandemic, said the number of cases in the state has climbed to more than 52,000 and deaths rose to at least 728.

(SOUNDBITE) NEW YORK GOVERNOR ANDREW CUOMO SAYING: "We have been behind this virus from day one.

We have been in a reactive posture, We are waiting to see what the virus does and then we react." Cuomo said at a news conference.

"You don't win on defense.

You win on offense.

You have to get ahead of this." Cuomo said the price of a ventilator has increased to about $45,000 thousand dollars each from $25 thousand due to an increase in demand.

He said he asked pharmacies to begin delivering medications to homes free of charge.

Cuomo said President Donald Trump approved the construction of four additional temporary hospital sites in New York City, adding 4,000 hospital beds in the state.