New York Governor Andrew Cuomo said on Monday that he expected the rate of positive COVID-19 tests to continue rising in the state into winter.

According to Reuters, both the state and New York city have seen positive test rates rise above 2 percent in recent days, with Cuomo terming it a "new phase" of the virus' spread.

"The numbers are undeniable," Reuters quotes Cuomo. "The best you can do is manage the increase."

With infections surpassing the 565,000 mark, New York has reported 33,821 deaths, by far the biggest toll in the country.

Earlier, New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio also warned that the city may soon enter a second wave of COVID-19 infections.