Malls, casinos to reopen: NY Governor

Malls in New York City and casinos across the state will be allowed to reopen from September 9 as Covid-19 cases have continues to dip, Governor Andrew Cuomo said.

Malls in the city will be allowed to reopen at 50 per cent capacity and casinos state-wide can reopen at 25 per cent capacity, Xinhua news agency quoted Cuomo as saying on Thursday at a press briefing.

"Thanks to the hard work of New Yorkers, we are at a point in our fight against this virus where we can safely reopen malls in New York City as long as they adhere to strict health and safety protocols," he said.

"Masks, enhanced air ventilation systems, and social distancing will be mandatory."

The Governor also spoke about the hotly debated issue of indoor dining in New York City, saying that the final decision rests with the state.

Cuomo said he would like to see restaurants reopening for indoor dining in the city but compliance and enforcement remain a major hurdle in doing so.

As of Friday, the state of New York, the once epicentre of the pandemic in the US, has reported some 442,000 coronavirus cases and 32,567 deaths.

New York City has so far registered more than 240,000 infections and 23,710 fatalities.