New York schools will remain closed until at least April 15 in order to slow the spread of the coronavirus pandemic, Governor Andrew Cuomo on Friday said. 

Some schools ordered closed by the state were set to re-open on Wednesday, and schools overall had a portion of the 180-day open rule for funding waived until then. 

Cuomo announced Friday schools will have that open rule waived for at least another two weeks. 

"I believe the schools should remain closed," Cuomo said at the Javits Convention Center in New York City, a temporary hospital site. "I don't do this joyfully, but you look at where we are, I believe the schools should remain closed."

The pandemic has disrupted daily life in New York, which has closed businesses and kept thousands of non-essential workers at home, while thousands more have lost their jobs. 

There are now 519 deaths attributed to the virus, an increase from 385 people announced a day ago. 

Hospitalizations statewide stand at 6,481 patients, with 1,583 people in intensive care units. State officials and the Army Corps of Engineers are racing to expand the state's hospitalization capacity as the rate of patients is expected to peak by mid-April. 

A Navy hospital ship, the USNS Comfort, is scheduled to arrive on Monday in New York City, to help with hospital overflow. Officials are also working to expand capacity at SUNY campuses on Long Island as well as identify sites in the five New York City boroughs for temporary hospital space. 

Still, while the hospitalization rate has spiked, the rate appears to be slowing down, Cuomo said. What was a rate of doubling every two days has slowed to doubling every four days.