Just 80 new COVID-19 infections were reported in New York City on Feb. 26, the lowest total reported in eight months, according to the latest data from the Department of Health and Mental Hygiene.
The city saw 81 infections reported on June 28, 2021, just before the highly-infectious Delta variant arrived and began an summertime wave of cases. The latest drop-off comes after the prolific Omicron variant resulted in record-high levels of COVID-19 cases across the Five Boroughs right around last Christmas.
But there’s hope now that the worst of the COVID-19 pandemic may finally be behind New York City, with 77% of all residents fully vaccinated and various new treatments and pills available to help prevent more serious infections. The new decline in cases led city and state officials to rollback mask and vaccine requirements, with the Key2NYC business vaccine and public school mask mandates set to expire officially as of Monday, March 7.
As of March 4, the city’s 7-day positivity rate was down to 1.65%, with just 72 probable cases reported. The daily 7-day hospitalization average dropped to only 25.
The transmission rate — which, only eight weeks ago, numbered in the thousands thanks to the Omicron variant — is now down to 50.76 cases per 100,000 people citywide as of March 4. Manhattan had the highest borough-wide total, as 87.37 per 100,000.
Not one New York City neighborhood had a 7-day positivity rate above 5% between Feb. 23-March 1. The two communities with the highest rates, the only ones above 4% positivity, were in Queens: Breezy Point (11697, 3 new cases, 4.55% positivity) and Bellerose/Douglaston/Little Neck (11004/110045, 12 new cases, 4.43%)
East Williamsburg/Williamsburg, Brooklyn (11211) had the most new COVID-19 cases during the period with just 87, good for a 1.6% positivity rate. Two other areas had more than 60 new cases: Manhattan Valley/Morningside Heights/Upper West Side (10025, 64 new cases, 1.56% positivity rate) and Brooklyn Heights/DUMBO/Downtown Brooklyn (11201, 62 new cases, 2.76% positivity rate).
Fourteen areas of New York City had three or fewer COVID-19 cases between Feb. 23-March 1, 2022. A portion of the Financial District (10004) had just one. Six areas had just two cases: Battery Park City, Manhattan (10282); City Island, Bronx (10464); and four areas of Queens: Douglaston-Little Neck (11363), Cambria Heights (11411), Bellerose (11426) and Arverne/Edgemere (11692).
Health Department officials have repeatedly said that getting vaccinated and booster shots increases your chances of avoiding COVID-19 infection, or suffering just mild symptoms if you do become infected. To find a location where you can get a vaccine, or to schedule an appointment, visit vaccinefinder.nyc.gov.
