The number of COVID-19 hospitalizations in New York state is at its lowest since early August, Gov. Kathy Hochul's office announced Friday.

Currently, there are 978 patients in the hospital — the first time that number has dipped below 1,000 since Aug. 4. The majority of the patients were admitted to a hospital for a reason other than COVID-19. Of the current patients, there are 157 of them in the ICU right now.

There were 2,089 new COVID-19 cases statewide reported in the last 24 hours and the state's seven-day average positivity rate now stands at 1.76%, the governor's office said.

"Thanks to New Yorkers remaining vigilant and getting vaccinated, our state continues to make strides in fighting the pandemic," Gov. Hochul said in a statement Friday. "The vaccine continues to be our most critical tool in keeping our positivity and hospitalization rates down, but we need to continue encouraging friends and loved ones to get vaccinated and boosted when they can. Parents and guardians should get their children vaccinated and boosted as soon as possible."

The state reported 16 new COVID-19 deaths in the last 24 hours, bringing the pandemic total — reported to and compiled by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention — to 69,958.