Polling places will remain open in designated "red zones" of concentrated coronavirus cases, an advisor to Gov. Andrew Cuomo on Thursday said. 

New York has sought in recent weeks to stamp out COVID cases in a block-by-block or "cluster" strategy that focuses on a large number of cases in a specific area. Using color-coded designations, the state has moved to close schools and non-essential businesses in areas where coronavirus case increases have been especially sharp. 

But the effort comes as New York begins early voting on Saturday and two weeks prior to Election Day itself. 

Cuomo advisor Beth Garvey in a conference call with reporters said if a red zone contains a polling place it would remain open for voting with proper social distancing and sanitizing guidelines in place. These are guidelines that have been in place since the June primary in New York, Garvey said.

"Voting is a constitutional right," she said in the call.

State officials are also encouraging people to vote early to alleviate potential lines at polling places or vote through absentee balloting as soon as possible.  

Cuomo on Thursday announced New York's overall positive rate in the last 24 hours stood at 1.2%, a number that includes an "over sample" of COVID cases in areas where there are coronavirus hot spots. 

New York has seen a fluctuation in hospital cases in the last several weeks. There are now 986 people hospitalized due to COVID-19 in the state, an increase from 950 patients announced on Wednesday.