NEW YORK (WKBW) — New York Governor Andrew Cuomo released the initial results of the state's antibody testing Saturday.
The state has tested just over 15,000 people for antibodies as of May 1, a positive test for antibodies means the person has had COVID-19 and has since recovered.
Cuomo says the results are weighted and of the 15,103 people sampled statewide, 12.3 percent of those individuals tested positive for the antibodies.
In Western New York the percentage of individuals positive for antibodies was 6 percent.
Beginning Saturday, the state is asking hospitals to collect specific demographic information such as residence, age, gender, race, ethnicity, occupation, etc. for positive COVID-19 patients to help understand where the infections are coming from.
Cuomo announced the state will also distribute 7 million cloth masks to nursing homes and poorer communities statewide as well as $25 million to food banks across the state.
Food banks in the Western New York region will receive $2.1 million.
