Although infection rates and case levels continue to climb across New York City thanks to the BA.2 subvariant of COVID-19, Manhattan continues to bear the biggest brunt in the latest virus wave.
The latest statistics from the city’s Department of Health and Mental Hygiene indicate that the borough remains the hottest zone of the latest cycle of COVID-19 infections.
Manhattan’s transmission rate of 329.46 cases per 100,000 residents is nearly double the citywide transmission rate of 178.21 cases per 100,000. Only one other borough, Staten Island, has a rate (182.51 per 100,000) higher than the citywide figure.
The increasing number of cases related to the BA.2 subvariant of COVID-19 — which accounts for about 85% of all new infections in the city — has caused a slow, yet steady rise in the city’s 7-day positivity rate, which as of April 15 stood at 4.46%. The daily average of new total cases over a weekly period was up to 2,122 — but hospitalizations are holding “stable” at 28, and deaths continue to decrease; just two daily COVID-19 deaths were reported on average over the week.
Even so, COVID-19 is hitting Manhattan hard this month. Two West Side areas had more than 500 new COVID-19 cases diagnosed between April 6-12: Manhattan Valley/Morningside Heights/Upper West Side (ZIP 10025, 302 new cases, 7.92% 7-day positivity rate) and Lincoln Square (10023, 207 new cases, 10.6% 7-day positivity).
Eight other Manhattan neighborhoods each had 150 or more new cases during the period: Upper West Side (10024, 189 new cases, 9.39% positivity); East Village/Gramercy/Greenwich Village (10003, 185 cases, 9.36% positivity); Central Harlem/Morningside Heights/West Harlem (10027, 184 cases, 7.05% positivity); Upper East Side/Yorkville (10128, 163 cases, 8.29% positivity); Chelsea (10011, 160 cases, 10.25% positivity); Hell’s Kitchen/Midtown Manhattan (10019, 160 cases, 10.04% positivity); Kips Bay/Murray Hill/NoMad (10016, 159 cases, 10.56% positivity); and Upper East Side/Yorkville (10028, 151 cases, 9.82% positivity).
The 7-day positivity rates across Manhattan have also skyrocketed; 10 communities logged rates of 10% or higher. An area of the Financial District (10006) led the entire city with a 16.38% 7-day positivity rate, though it had only 19 new COVID-19 infections during the period.
Only one community outside of Manhattan — Greenpoint, Brooklyn (10.87%) — had a 7-day positivity rate exceeding 10% between April 6-12.
Only five New York City communities saw less than 10 new COVID-19 infections between April 6-12. Three of them were in Queens: Breezy Point (11697, 3 cases, 4.56% positivity); Ozone Park (11416, 9 cases, 1.54% positivity) and Arverne/Broad Channel (11693, 9 cases, 4.29% positivity). The other two areas were in the Bronx: City Island (10464, 2 cases, 1.79% positivity) and Hunts Point (10474, 2 cases, 0.77% positivity).
As noted, while COVID-19 cases are on the rise citywide, the number of patients being hospitalized or dying of the illness continues to remain low. That’s largely due to the high number of New Yorkers who’ve received COVID-19 vaccines, which have been proven to significantly reduce the chances of severe infection, and the availability of antibody and new antiviral treatments proven to be effective at reducing symptoms.
Health officials continue to advise fully vaccinated New Yorkers to get a booster shot if they haven’t already done so. The city’s Health Department continues to report a stagnant booster shot rate of about 37.2%. Getting the booster increases your chances of warding off a COVID infection, or may make your symptoms milder if you do become infected.
To find a location to get a booster shot, visit vaccinefinder.nyc.gov.
