Brooklyn COVID-19 Numbers: Hanging In There, No Longer Orange, Rates Rise Around Us

Brooklyn, we should be proud. All that mask-wearing and distance keeping and following annoying restrictions mean we are at a 2.2% infection rate, against the city’s 2.5% or 3.00% 7-day averages (first one from Governor, Second from Mayor). Governor eliminated the Brooklyn Orange zone today, turning it Yellow, and eliminated the previously yellow zone.

The public schools are now closed till further notice for in-person instruction. Let’s just say parents are really, really not happy with how this has been handled, and I’m putting it mildly here.

No additional restrictions have been imposed at this time.

Ok, so here are the numbers from the NY State:

17,351 people were tested in Brooklyn, 453 were positive – we have been in the 400-450 range for a week or so now when it comes to new cases. Yesterday the positivity rate was 2.6%, and the 7-day average was 2.2%. Another two Brooklyn residents died from the virus.

In other boroughs, Queens still leads in the total number of new cases, while Staten Island (Richmond County) has the highest infection rate at 4.1%. Citywide 7-day positivity, according to the State data, is 2.5%.

Mayor’s data puts the city at 1,212 new cases, 2.75% daily positivity, and at 3% 7-day positivity. It is not clear why there would be discrepancies between the city and the state, given that the city is 5 distinct counties. The city has been less than transparent or consistent in the way it uses the data. Since the State can override the city on most issues, we’ll keep reporting the state numbers as primary numbers, adding data from the city for reference.

Either way – numbers do seem to be going up, somewhat inevitably, and what is alarming that almost 44% of the hospital admissions are for COVID – a significant increase in heavy cases from weeks before, while still a much lower share than in the spring.

For comparison with spring, we are back where we were in late May for infection rates.

Governor Cuomo did suggest today that the whole of NYC could become an Orange zone if it hits 3% by the State’s count.

A reminder of 3% restrictions in NYC:

There is currently, and somewhat mind-bogglingly, no criteria for reopening public schools.