Gov. Andrew Cuomo said Monday that he expects COVID-19 infection rates to go up through the fall and winter.

"The best we can do is manage the increase" until a vaccine is readily available, Cuomo said. "The fall, much like the flu virus -- there's certain conditions about the fall that increase the spread of the virus, more people inside, holidays, less outdoor gatherings."

On the state's micro-cluster zones, he touted progress made in areas where red zone restrictions had been enacted. Cuomo said red zones in Brooklyn have now been eliminated and are orange zones. 

He made the comments on a call with members of the media Monday.

The governor said the statewide positivity rate is at 2.8%. The rate in micro-cluster zones is at 4.3% and the statewide rate without those zones is at 2.6%. He said 26 New Yorkers passed away from the virus yesterday.

"The micro-cluster approach works," Cuomo said. "As soon as you see any increase, be more aggressive. There's nothing more you can do but that's everything you can do: watch a small increase, attack a small increase."