Edited by: JV Staff
COVID-19 cases continue to grow at an alarming rate in eight neighborhoods in the city, outpacing the citywide average by 3.7 times over the past 14 days.
Six of the 8 neighborhoods saw increases even from the prior day’s report, based on the health department’s preliminary data.
These areas account for over 25% of new cases citywide over the past two weeks despite representing just under 7% of the city’s overall population. The data below is based on a 14-day average, which can more accurately reflect sustained trends than data pulled from a single day.
Gravesend/Homecrest [11223] (6.72%)
Midwood [11230] (5.53%)
Kew Gardens [11415] (3.61%)
Edgemere/Far Rockaway [11691] (3.98%)
Borough Park [11219] (5.26%)
Bensonhurst/Mapleton [11204] (5.15%)
Gerritsen Beach/Homecrest/Sheepshead Bay [11229] (4.05%)
Flatlands/Midwood [11210] (4.08%)
One new ZIP code has surpassed 3% positivity:
Kew Gardens Hills/Pomonok [11367] (3.04%)
In addition to these 9 ZIP codes, the health department have identified three additional ZIP codes that are showing increased growth of cases and test positivity between 2% and 3%, which are:
Rego Park [11374] (2.49%)
Kensington/Windsor Terrace [11218] (2.50%)
Brighton Beach/Manhattan Beach/Sheepshead Bay [11235] (2.63%)
Two out of the three areas above, have also increased in the percent of positive tests since the day before, according to preliminary data.
Williamsburg remains an area where we are observing a faster increase in cases compared to other parts of the city, even though the test positivity rate is below 3% (1.84%).
The health department continues to monitor emergency department visits, hospitalizations, and intensive care unit admissions. With COVID-19, increases in hospital visits generally follow an increase in cases. The health department has reported that the data shows a significant uptick in the number of hospitalized patients with COVID-19 in the city overall.
The City is working with community leaders and community-based organizations to distribute face coverings and combat misinformation. On Tuesday, to combat these rising rates, the City will conduct outreach to non-public schools about the new guidelines, canvass commercial corridors in these neighborhoods, and use soundtrucks to reinforce COVID-19 guidance and precautions.
This week, the City will also be deploying 11 mobile testing units to areas with high rates of COVID-19 positivity, with a focus on the neighborhoods above, tripling capacity of the COVID Express testing sites in Crown Heights and Fort Greene, and working with community provider offices to supply new rapid testing capacity.
