New York, July 21 (RHC)-- New York state reported the fewest hospitalizations from the coronavirus in four months on Monday just as New York City entered a new phase of reopening, but the progress was eclipsed by the rapid spread of COVID-19 elsewhere in the United States.

New York City, once the world epicentre of the pandemic, enters stage four of reopening after months of declining cases.

The state recorded eight deaths on Sunday while the total number of people hospitalised for the disease fell to 716, the fewest since March 18, Governor Andrew Cuomo said.

Cuomo called the figures "good news," although a Reuters analysis of data from the COVID Tracking Project showed cases rose to more than 5,000 in the past week for the first time since April, breaking a 13-week streak of declines.