N.Y. Sees Virus Still Spreading in Lower-Income Communities

(Bloomberg) -- New York is seeing the new coronavirus continue to spread in lower-income and predominately minority communities as the state’s overall numbers improve, Governor Andrew Cuomo said.

The majority of new Covid-19 cases are originating in those parts of New York City, Cuomo said Wednesday at a press briefing. A review of 8,000 antibody tests conducted in those areas found an infection rate of 34% in the Bronx, 29% in Brooklyn and 25% in Queens, higher than the 19.9% average citywide, the governor said.

“That’s where the cases are still coming from, that’s where the viruses are still spreading,” Cuomo said, adding that the number of positive cases are higher among Latino and African-American populations.

In New York City, Hispanics comprise 34% of the virus fatalities and 29% of the population, while black people account for 28% of the deaths and 22% of the population. In contrast, white residents comprise 27% of the deaths and 32% of the population, according to state data. The disparity is apparent not only in New York, but across the nation, Cuomo said.

In an attempt to slow the spread, New York will expand testing at churches and public-housing developments. It also will hand out more personal protective equipment and hand sanitizer and educate people in the hardest-hit communities about social distancing and how the virus spreads.

Statewide, hospitalizations, intubations and new admissions continue a slow decline, Cuomo said. There were 112 virus-related fatalities on May 19, a slight increase from the past couple of days, but the 10th straight day the number was less than 200. At its peak in April, the state reported more than 700 deaths for several straight days. New York, the epicenter of the outbreak, has lost 22,912 residents to Covid-19.

“The overall direction is right, but this is a painful, painful, tragic number of lives lost,” the governor said.

New York City, Long Island and the Mid-Hudson region remain shut after failing to meet some of seven state-required metrics. The rest of the state has begun to reopen after more than seven weeks on lockdown.

On Thursday, religious ceremonies of 10 people or fewer will be allowed statewide as long as people wear masks and follow social-distancing guidelines. Larger services are considered “gatherings” that remain banned, Cuomo said.

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