New data released by the city shows that lower-income neighborhoods have been most affected by the virus.
New data released by the city shows that lower-income neighborhoods have been most affected by the virus.
Covid-19Guidance
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A Month of Coronavirus in New York City: See the Hardest-Hit Areas
ByLarry BuchananJugal K. PatelBrian M. RosenthalandAnjali SinghviApril 1, 2020
The coronavirus has ravaged all of New York City, closing schools, emptying streets and turning stadiums into makeshift hospitals. And data made public by city health officials on Wednesday suggests it is hitting low-income neighborhoods the hardest.
83
104
Riverdale
362
253
638
255
397
108
470
Coronavirus cases by ZIP code
332
Bronx
208
386
264
376
25
306
377
255
308
367
355
302
267
116
227
217
50
10
100
500
1,000
337
106
304
176
170
55
Harlem
174
126
252
204
290
147
162
110
Manhattan
212
59
104
189
190
27
105
Bayside
211
Astoria
134
187
121
85
378
331
104
49
144
Flushing
119
64
116
123
Long
Island
City
Jackson Heights
Midtown
Queens
45
492
213
113
947
113
148
121
13
364
Chelsea
288
85
222
166
101
Corona
831
101
140
Greenpoint
161
318
181
Greenwich
Village
96
106
181
319
68
156
112
418
122
Williamsburg
164
195
21
250
405
601
26
Middle Village
163
149
17
25
Jamaica
184
329
293
425
155
216
245
Bushwick
204
151
Brooklyn
Heights
182
202
Fort
Greene
260
16
182
Bedford-Stuyvesant
Cypress
Hills
117
130
162
Ozone Park
183
225
127
358
173
100
Park
Slope
350
Red Hook
223
394
332
261
Brownsville
178
267
East New York
254
211
162
85
Howard Beach
343
Sunset Park
85
344
350
East Flatbush
264
416
St. George
Flatbush
Canarsie
97
771
106
61
Borough Park
Flatlands
Bay Ridge
386
175
209
631
534
Brooklyn
86
101
Bensonhurst
364
289
316
436
251
346
452
178
110
Sheepshead Bay
Staten Island
348
Brighton
Beach
133
New Dorp
143
278
Great Kills
25
146
336
170
Tottenville
67
Coronavirus cases by ZIP code
Bronx
10
Manhattan
50
500
Queens
1,000
Brooklyn
Staten
Island
Coronavirus cases by ZIP code
Bronx
10
50
500
1,000
Manhattan
Queens
Brooklyn
Staten
Island
During the first month of the outbreak in the city — the epicenter of America’s coronavirus crisis — many of the neighborhoods with the most confirmed virus cases were in areas with the lowest median incomes, the data shows. The biggest hot spots included communities in the South Bronx and western Queens.
The data, collected by the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, offers the first snapshot of an outbreak thatinfected more than40,000 and killed more than 1,000in the city in its first month.
[Readthe latest coverage of the coronavirus outbreakin the New York area.]
The coronavirus has spread into virtually every corner of the city, and some wealthier neighborhoods have been overrun with cases, including some parts of Manhattan and Staten Island. But that may be because of the availability of testing in those areas. Nineteen of the 20 neighborhoods with the lowest percentage of positive tests have been in wealthy ZIP codes.
The patterns are even more striking when analyzing the data on people who visited the city’s 53 emergency rooms with the “flulike symptoms” that are a hallmark of the coronavirus.
Over all, nearly three times as many people with “flulike symptoms” like fever, cough or sore throat visited city emergency rooms this March when compared with the same month in previous years.
In the last four years, there were on average 9,250 flu-related visits to emergency rooms in March; this March, the number tripled to about 30,000.
Flu-Related E.R. Visits by ZIP Code
Circles are sized by the number of flu-related visits by residents in each ZIP code.
Average of March
visits in 2016-19
March 2020
Average of March
visits in 2016-19
March 2020
March 2020
Average of March
visits in 2016-19
The increases in flu-related emergency room visits varied widely by neighborhood, with many of the surges occurring among residents of neighborhoods where the typical household income is less than the city median of about $60,000, the data shows.
In Corona, Queens, for example, the median household income is about $48,000, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. That neighborhood is near the Elmhurst Hospital Center, which Mayor Bill de Blasio has cited as the hardest-hit hospital in the city. Doctors in the overwhelmed emergency room there havedescribed the conditionsas “apocalyptic.”
Visits in Central Harlem were up 220 percent.
Bronx
Corona saw nearly 1,000 more flu-related visits than average.
Where Flu-Related E.R. Visits Have Increased
Manhattan
Circles are sized by the increase in the number of flu-related E.R. visits by residents in each ZIP code for the month of March in 2020, compared with 2016-19.
•Yellowcircles indicate ZIP codes in which the median household income is less than the city median, which is about $60,000.
•Bluecircles indicate areas with higher median incomes.
Queens
On the north shore of Staten Island, flu-related E.R. visits doubled.
Brooklyn
Staten Island
Visits in Central Harlem were up 220 percent.
Bronx
Corona saw nearly 1,000 more flu-related visits than average.
Where Flu-Related E.R. Visits Have Increased
Circles are sized by the increase in the number of flu-related E.R. visits by residents in each ZIP code for the month of March in 2020, compared with 2016-19.
•Yellowcircles indicate ZIP codes in which the median household income is less than the city median, which is about $60,000.
•Bluecircles indicate areas with higher median incomes.
Manhattan
Queens
On the north shore of Staten Island, flu-related E.R. visits doubled.
Brooklyn
Staten Island
Where Flu-Related E.R. Visits Have Increased
Circles are sized by the increase in the number of flu-related E.R. visits by residents in each ZIP code for the month of March in 2020, compared with 2016-19.
•Yellowcircles indicate ZIP codes in which the median household income is less than the city median, which is about $60,000.
•Bluecircles indicate areas with higher median incomes.
Visits in Central Harlem were up 220 percent.
Bronx
Corona saw nearly 1,000 more flu-related visits than average.
Manhattan
Queens
On the north shore of Staten Island, flu-related E.R. visits doubled.
Brooklyn
Staten Island
Where Flu-Related E.R. Visits Have Increased
Circles are sized by the increase in the number of flu-related E.R. visits by residents in each ZIP code for the month of March in 2020, compared with 2016-19.
•Yellowcircles indicate ZIP codes in which the median household income is less than the city median, which is about $60,000.
•Bluecircles indicate areas with higher median incomes.
Visits in Central Harlem were up 220 percent.
Bronx
Corona saw nearly 1,000 more flu-related visits than average.
Manhattan
Queens
On the north shore of Staten Island, flu-related E.R. visits doubled.
Brooklyn
Staten Island
Where Flu-Related E.R. Visits Have Increased
Circles are sized by the increase in the number of flu-related E.R. visits by residents in each ZIP code for the month of March in 2020, compared with 2016-19.
•Yellowcircles indicate ZIP codes in which the median household income is less than the city median, which is about $60,000.
•Bluecircles indicate areas with higher median incomes.
Visits in Central Harlem were up 220 percent.
Bronx
Corona saw
nearly
1,000 more
flu-related
visits than
average.
Manhattan
On the north shore of Staten Island, flu-related E.R. visits doubled.
Queens
Brooklyn
Staten Island
Dr. Jessica Justman, an epidemiologist at Columbia University in Manhattan, said the numbers were most likely because many immigrants and low-income residents live with large families in small apartments andcannot isolate at home.
“I think unfortunately this is showing how devastating that can be,” Dr. Justman said.
In New York, experts said, a vast majority of people visiting emergency rooms with flu-like symptoms probably have the coronavirus.
“We’ve actually stopped testing for the flu because it’s all coronavirus,” said Bruce Farber, chief of infectious disease at North Shore University Hospital, part of Northwell Health, a network of 23 hospitals throughout the state. “Almost anybody who has an influenza illness right now almost certainly has coronavirus.”
Many of the emergency rooms with the biggest increases in patients who have flulike symptoms are in Queens, the borough that has the highest number of confirmed coronavirus cases. There are about 616 confirmed cases for every 100,000 residents in Queens, and 584 confirmed cases for every 100,000 residents in the Bronx. That’s far more per 100,000 than the 376 in Manhattan and 453 in Brooklyn.
With infections across all five boroughs, New York has far more confirmed cases than any other city in the United States.
Coronavirus cases
Coronavirus deaths
3,000
150,000
100,000
2,000
All U.S.
cases
All U.S. deaths
50,000
1,000
New York City
March 1
March 31
March 1
March 31
Coronavirus cases
Coronavirus deaths
3,000
150,000
100,000
2,000
All U.S.
cases
All U.S. deaths
50,000
1,000
New York
City
March 1
March 31
March 1
March 31
The emergency room data also tracks admissions — the number of E.R. visitors who end up treated at a hospital. On that metric, the data shows that older visitors are far more likely to be admitted than younger visitors.
There is a simple reason for that difference, according to the hospital officials and experts: The coronavirus seems to take a bigger toll on older people, as well as those with compromised immune systems.
“I don’t think that infection rates are necessarily different between older and younger people,” said Dr. Isaac Weisfuse, the former deputy head for disease control at the city’s Department of Health. “Elderly have worse clinical outcomes than younger patients, and may have more pre-existing conditions.”
E.R. Admissions for Flulike Illness and Pneumonia
Per 100,000 people
Ages 0-17
18-44
45-64
65-74
75+
30
15
Jan.
Jan.
Jan.
Jan.
Jan.
March
March
March
March
March
Ages 75+
30
15
Jan.
March
65-74
30
15
Jan.
March
45-64
30
15
Jan.
March
18-44
30
15
Jan.
March
0-17
30
15
Jan.
March
Over all, more than 8,500 people have been hospitalized with the coronavirus in New York City. That number is expected to soar in the coming weeks.
But officials arehopefulthat the social distancing restrictions put in place by the state may have finally started to at least slow the spread of the coronavirus. They have noted that the number of hospitalizations is now doubling every six days, instead of every two or three days.
The city’s data shows a slight decline in emergency room admissions over last weekend, and then continuing increases this week.
Dr. Denis Nash, an epidemiologist at the City University of New York’s School of Public Health, said it was still too soon to tell whether the social distancing restrictions were working.
“It may be too soon to say what’s really going on here,” he said. “I just hope it means something good.”
Coronavirus Cases by ZIP code
ZIP code
Borough
Total cases
Cases per 1,000 people
11368
Queens
947
9
11373
Queens
831
9
11219
Brooklyn
771
9
10467
Bronx
638
7
11230
Brooklyn
631
8
11211
Brooklyn
601
6
11204
Brooklyn
534
7
11372
Queens
492
8
10469
Bronx
470
7
10314
Staten Island
452
5
11691
Queens
436
7
11385
Queens
425
4
11375
Queens
418
6
11236
Brooklyn
416
5
11432
Queens
405
7
10468
Bronx
397
6
11213
Brooklyn
394
6
10453
Bronx
386
5
11210
Brooklyn
386
6
11370
Queens
378
12
10462
Bronx
377
5
10461
Bronx
376
8
10452
Bronx
367
5
11234
Brooklyn
364
4
11377
Queens
364
5
10466
Bronx
362
5
11434
Queens
358
6
10456
Bronx
355
4
11218
Brooklyn
350
5
11208
Brooklyn
350
4
11235
Brooklyn
348
5
11223
Brooklyn
346
5
11226
Brooklyn
344
4
11203
Brooklyn
343
5
10451
Bronx
337
8
10312
Staten Island
336
6
10458
Bronx
332
4
11207
Brooklyn
332
4
11369
Queens
331
10
11206
Brooklyn
329
4
11374
Queens
319
8
11367
Queens
318
8
11229
Brooklyn
316
4
10032
Manhattan
308
5
10457
Bronx
306
5
10473
Bronx
304
6
10472
Bronx
302
5
11435
Queens
293
5
10029
Manhattan
290
4
10304
Staten Island
289
8
10016
Manhattan
288
6
10306
Staten Island
278
6
11225
Brooklyn
267
5
10465
Bronx
267
7
10033
Manhattan
264
5
11220
Brooklyn
264
3
11413
Queens
261
7
11221
Brooklyn
260
4
10460
Bronx
255
5
10475
Bronx
255
6
11212
Brooklyn
254
4
10463
Bronx
253
4
10025
Manhattan
252
3
11214
Brooklyn
251
3
10002
Manhattan
250
4
11412
Queens
245
7
10459
Bronx
227
5
11233
Brooklyn
225
3
11420
Queens
223
5
10011
Manhattan
222
5
10031
Manhattan
217
4
11418
Queens
216
6
11355
Queens
213
3
10128
Manhattan
212
4
11422
Queens
211
7
10021
Manhattan
211
5
11209
Brooklyn
209
4
10040
Manhattan
208
5
11201
Brooklyn
204
4
10024
Manhattan
204
4
11421
Queens
202
5
11379
Queens
195
6
10023
Manhattan
190
4
10028
Manhattan
189
4
10019
Manhattan
187
5
11237
Brooklyn
184
4
11238
Brooklyn
183
4
11205
Brooklyn
182
4
11419
Queens
182
4
10009
Manhattan
181
4
11427
Queens
181
8
11215
Brooklyn
178
3
10305
Staten Island
178
5
10455
Bronx
176
5
10301
Staten Island
175
5
10454
Bronx
174
5
11417
Queens
173
6
10027
Manhattan
170
3
10309
Staten Island
170
6
11365
Queens
166
4
11423
Queens
164
6
11429
Queens
163
6
11216
Brooklyn
162
3
11357
Queens
162
5
11414
Queens
162
6
10003
Manhattan
161
3
10075
Manhattan
160
8
11378
Queens
156
5
11433
Queens
155
5
11411
Queens
151
8
11415
Queens
149
8
11101
Queens
148
5
10035
Manhattan
147
5
10308
Staten Island
146
5
11106
Queens
144
4
11694
Queens
143
7
10014
Manhattan
140
5
11354
Queens
134
3
11224
Brooklyn
133
3
11217
Brooklyn
130
4
11231
Brooklyn
127
4
10026
Manhattan
126
4
10022
Manhattan
123
4
10013
Manhattan
122
5
11004
Queens
121
8
10065
Manhattan
121
5
11358
Queens
119
4
11416
Queens
117
5
10039
Manhattan
116
5
10036
Manhattan
116
5
10001
Manhattan
113
5
11364
Queens
113
4
11428
Queens
112
6
11356
Queens
110
5
11692
Queens
110
6
10037
Manhattan
109
6
10034
Manhattan
108
3
10030
Manhattan
106
4
11366
Queens
106
8
10303
Staten Island
106
5
11102
Queens
105
4
10471
Bronx
104
5
11105
Queens
104
3
11103
Queens
104
3
10010
Manhattan
101
3
11426
Queens
101
5
11228
Brooklyn
101
3
11436
Queens
100
5
10310
Staten Island
97
5
11222
Brooklyn
96
3
11693
Queens
86
7
11239
Brooklyn
85
7
11361
Queens
85
4
11104
Queens
85
4
11232
Brooklyn
85
4
10470
Bronx
83
6
10038
Manhattan
76
4
10012
Manhattan
68
3
10307
Staten Island
67
5
10018
Manhattan
66
7
11362
Queens
64
4
10302
Staten Island
61
4
11360
Queens
59
4
10474
Bronx
55
5
10044
Manhattan
49
5
10017
Manhattan
45
3
11363
Queens
27
4
10007
Manhattan
26
4
10005
Manhattan
25
3
11697
Queens
25
8
10464
Bronx
25
6
10280
Manhattan
17
2
10004
Manhattan
16
6
10006
Manhattan
6
2
Additional reporting by Robert Gebeloff and Susan Beachy.
An earlier version of the table with this article showed incorrect values for the rates of coronavirus cases. The values given were for tests per 1,000 people, not cases per 1,000 people.