Gov. Andrew Cuomo defended New York’s handling of nursing homes during the coronavirus pandemic Tuesday, as revised numbers suggest the death toll in the facilities is far higher than initially believed.

Hospitalizations in New York have been largely flat in the last day, while new COVID-related hospitalizations have fallen.

The death toll stood at 230 people in the last 24 hours, a slight increase from a day earlier.

Cuomo’s briefing on Tuesday came as the state Department of Health revised the number of nursing home deaths in the state upward by 1,700 people who have potentially died of the virus. At least 4,813 people have died from COVID-19 in New York nursing homes as the facilities have become increasingly a focal point for how the pandemic has been responded to in the state.

The state is tracking probable COVID deaths in nursing homes, potentially increasing the total toll the pandemic has taken.

New York, in recent weeks, has reversed course on nursing home policies, ending the requirement that the facilities must take COVID-positive residents and a separate guidance that allowed COVID-positive, but asymptomatic staff members to continue working.

Earlier this month, Cuomo announced Attorney General Letitia James would investigate how nursing homes have handled the pandemic. But some lawmakers and advocates are calling on the state Department of Health to take further steps to safeguard nursing homes ahead of a potential second wave later this year.

On Tuesday, Westchester County announced it would begin testing all nursing home residents for the virus.

Cuomo, meanwhile, said the next steps for nursing homes were still being determined.

"What can you do better going forward? I don't know,” Cuomo said. “It's something we're studying. We're also doing an investigation with the attorney general."

Cuomo has spoken with nursing home staffers in recent days and, despite the challenges and high death toll, said the staffs are doing “phenomenal work” in a challenging time.

"Everyone wants to point at the nursing homes know,” Cuomo said. “We knew they would be a target."

He added, “Our people are doing everything they can do.”