Preliminary data suggests 20% of New York City population could have virus antibodies

New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo said Thursday that 13.9% of 3,000 individuals tested in New York state were positive for coronavirus antibodies.

In the five boroughs, that percentage rose to 21%. Though the data is preliminary, it suggests that many more New Yorkers have been exposed to the virus than tests confirm. 

Cuomo announced the findings during his regular coronavirus update for the state capital, in Albany.

It is still unknown whether the virus's antibodies make someone immune to the illness, though knowing more about how many individuals in a population have the antibodies could lead to a quicker re-opening of the economy in several places. Antibody tests will help health professionals understand with more accuracy what percentage of people are exposed to the virus but display few to no symptoms. 

In New York, if you are displaying symptoms of the virus, unless they are serious, the city is still counseling against seeking out a test, so the true number of people infected is unknown and likely significantly higher than the state's 263,000 recorded positive cases.